Friends of friends

Yesterday we went to church for the first time in Taiwan. Gloria recommended Taipei International Church. As it happened, my first Sunday there was the last Sunday for another American friend of Gloria's. Gloria had told me about her dear friend, Liz, and given me her phone number. I knew Liz was scheduled to move back to the States in early June, and with the major disruption upon my arrival I decided not to call Liz. (My loss, most definitely.) Because it was the last Sunday here for Liz and her family, the pastor called them up front for a formal goodbye. After church I made my way to Liz to introduce myself and show her a recent picture of Gloria and her son. We had a very nice, though necessarily short, visit. How strange, to be so far from home meeting the dear friend of a dear friend, to be arriving as she is leaving, to know that I am face to face with her but Gloria does not get to be.