Toksa ake.

L-R, Karen (my supervisor), Asa (Presbyterian minister), Alicia,
Tresita (Asa's wife) and me.  I don't think I'm that tall...until I see pictures.

I've mentioned Alicia a few times before in this blog, since she has been not only a co-worker, but a companion on a few adventures.  Alicia has been living here at Pine Ridge for the last year, since she graduated from the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary with a Masters in Arts in Religion degree.  She is going through the candidacy process to become a rostered Diaconal Minister in the ELCA.  A Diaconal Minister is someone who feels called to a Word and Service ministry.  As a pastor-to-be, I feel called to Word and Sacrament ministry.  As a DM, Alicia hopes to serve in a ministry setting as a leader in the church, but with a focus on service.  Most would say that pastors are also responsible for service, but with a different focus than DMs.  She will have her official approval interview in January, then enter the call process to be placed as a DM.  To my recollection, she will be the first DM to come out of the South Carolina Synod of the ELCA, which is pretty stinkin' cool!

When we got back from the Dakota Presbytery meeting, Alicia announced that she felt she needed to leave. She had been living here on donations and there wasn't money coming in at an appropriate rate to support her.  To take care of herself and her finances, she felt it best to move back to South Carolina.  She may still be called to Pine Ridge as the DM for the center, but she is in discernment over where life will take her now.

It was hard to say goodbye to this co-worker and friend, especially since it was a rather unplanned goodbye and it meant a lot of reshifting for my supervisor Karen and me.  Fortunately, in Lakota, you don't say "goodbye."  You say "Toksa ake" (toke-sha ah-keh), for "See you later."  Some traditional folks don't even say goodbye on the telephone, which has been an adjustment for me.  We said "Toksa ake" to Alicia, knowing that even if she doesn't return to Pine Ridge for full-time ministry, she'll be back to visit.

It was hard to have my first "goodbye" or "toksa" quite so soon into my year.  I've been saying a whole lot of  hellos, not really expecting to say goodbye to anyone, especially not so suddenly.  I watched Alicia tell each of the people who mean so much to her, many of whom already mean a lot to me, that she'd be leaving so quickly.  Some took it harder than others.  One of the grandmas even said, "What do we have to do to get you back here then?"  This dedication for continued relationship was inspiring.  People love and support Alicia so much that they want to know what THEY can do to call her back here.

Toksa ake, Alicia.