A Lin-credible Farewell

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Written by Jenny C.

On Thursday, June 7, we bid a bittersweet farewell to one of Gracepoint Austin's founding couples, John and Kelly Lin, as well as their kids, Nico and Karis. The evening began with a potluck dinner. In honor of John and his love of puns, the dishes all had puns in their names, the only sick part of an otherwise delicious meal. After dinner, the puns continued in a rollicking game of WWJP - What Would John Pun? Six teams competed for John's approval by trying to make the best pun for a given scenario. Once the cringing ended, the performances began. The grad brothers and sisters made a hilarious music video thanking John and Kelly for all their love and care over the last four years. Next, the senior brothers also expressed their appreciation with the highlight of the night - a rousing live performance of Les Miserables' "One Day More" that left us all feeling just a little less miserable about John and Kelly's departure. The kids' contribution sweetened up the night with their own farewell videos for Nico and Karis. Finally the senior sisters and the staff sang songs of encouragement, and the evening ended on an emotional note as different people shared about their memories with John and Kelly. The next morning, many of us woke up bright and early to pray for the Lin family one last time as a group and to give them a final sendoff at the airport. Although it was sad to see them go, the knowledge that John and Kelly are now at UC Davis serving God by leading the Praxis department assures us that they have left for a worthy cause. If you're reading this, John and Kelly, we miss you and we're praying for you!