So Long, Miss Ashley!

Hello, friends!

Just about 10 years ago, when I was but a wee Freshman at WashU (Go Bears!) I joined InterVarsity. At the time, InterVaristy @ WashU (Go Bears!) actually had 3 or 4 groups. There was InterVarsity/One Voice, the multi-ethnic chapters, ACF (Asian Christian Fellowship), Harambee (Black Campus Ministries), and I'm not sure if International Friends was a thing yet but it may have been. Each group reached out to a different part of the campus but we were all of one body and did different events together occasionally, like conferences.

It was at one of these conferences, Fall Conference 07 to be exact, where I had my life changed in a number of ways. I point to that conference as the moment when I changed from a believer in Christ to a follower of Jesus. It was also there that I first met my lifelong friends from Harambee, Thomas (T-Mo), Rachael (Rae Rae), and Lauren (Jad).

A few months later some friends and I had an idea to do some stuff between different campus ministries. Howie, the Harambee staff, suggested that I invite a student of his named Ashley Smith. I said, "sure, why not?" and a friendship was born.

It's entirely possible that my recollection of the story is not quite accurate but I think it is. The important thing is that for the past 10 years or so, "Miss" Ashley Smith (now Moore), has been a great friend and wonderful co-worker. We've been through battles together, usually on the same side, but sometimes not so much. We both went through the life of a college student trying to lead a chapter into mission. We did our InterVarsity internships together (along with T-Mo). We joined staff at the same time and enjoyed many a staff meeting together. We've seen tornados, both literal and figurative in our staff careers and somehow survived them all. I had the pleasure of being a part of her wedding (she married T-Mo), and was sad when she moved to Seattle. It's been a blast.

Miss Ashley ends her tenure with InterVarsity tomorrow. The past few years she'd been working on her seminary degree and praise Jesus, it's done! Now it's on to whatever adventure is next for her (and T-Mo!). Maybe it'll mean a move back to Missouri. Maybe it'll be across the river in Illinois. I don't know. What I do know is that I wanted to spend a few lines of internet sharing a few things that Miss Ashley has taught me over these past 10 years of friendship/co-workerness.

1) Miss Ashley taught me how to talk to people with feelings: Y'all may know that I'm not a very emotional person. I don't understand them well and usually have trouble engaging with emotions, especially in others. Friendship with Miss Ashley taught me not just that feelings are OK but that it's possible to engage and minster to folk with feelings without being great at having your own! Thanks, Miss Ashley.

2) Miss Ashley expanded my worldview: I have no idea what it's like to be Black in America. I know what it's like to be a minority, but that's not the same thing. Through the years, Miss Ashley and I have had so many conversations, some easier than others, about ethnic identity, racial reconciliation, and a number of other things that I just didn't understand before talking to her. I'm by no means at the end of my journey, but I'm further than I was before thanks to her. Thanks, Miss Ashley.

3) Miss Ashley was my friend: I'm not someone who has a lot of friends per se. I know a lot of people and have plenty of acquaintances. I feel comfortable meeting new people and don't have trouble talking to folk. But I'm not someone who really has a lot of friends. Miss Ashley is my friend. She puts up with my ridiculousness. She opens up to me and doesn't mind me doing the same. We don't talk as much as we used to but we still have our inside jokes and things of that nature. I know I can count on her and she can do the same for me. We make up after we fight. It's a good thing. Thanks, Miss Ashley.

So, onward to my dear friend "Miss" Ashley Moore. Whatever happens next for you, I'm still just a phone call away. =0).

Have an excellent day!

~Adam