15: Stayers & Goers (The Thorpes' Story)

“Most of us come to Manhattan, Kansas with the intention of getting educated or being stationed at Fort Riley and then moving on. But some of us are stayers. That was us. We get to have a big impact in the world by investing in the goers. So whether you're a stayer or a goer, make the most of your time in Manhattan, Kansas and be a blessing to the rest of the world.”

“My wife and I, Marist and I, have lived in Manhattan since 99 So we're here five years as students, two years with the Navigators, then 12 years on staff at New Hope Church, and then the last year plus at Tallgrass Church. And over all of those years, numbers of people that we've gotten to meet, we've said hello to, and then we've turned around and said goodbye to, just time and time and time again in Manhattan, Kansas.”

“So several months ago, my good friend Steve Thorpe, you know, who was stationed here for a year and a half, and then they moved to Hawaii two years ago, he texted me a photo of him and some friends at the beach and said, here's our beach church. And in jest, I texted back, I said, hey, do you ever fly out a guest speaker? And he replied and said, actually, Rebecca would like to fly you out for my Father's Day gift on Memorial Day weekend. So you track that. I'm flying out as Steve's Father's Day gift so he can hang out Memorial Day weekend with a buddy, which gets to be me.”

“in fact, they have just recently founded a new non-profit called Open Window Adoption. And their heart and vision is that no family would be prevented from adopting because of money issues. And so they hope to just be taking applications soon and then begin helping offset fund the cost of adoption.”

“And so that we learned that going to Africa was no longer going to be an option, at least not to the orphanage we had planned to go to. We had actually traveled there right before we came here, right before we moved here. So it was hard for us, or hard for me for sure, because we had made a connection with the children there and the staff, and we had told them all that we would be back soon, and that we were looking forward to just helping them grow and learn and learn about Christ and be there to support them.”

“And even though we've traveled all over the world and been blessed by being in the military, to be able to do that and see some amazing sites and amazing places, one of the most amazing things that we found was the community in Manhattan. And so of all the places in the world we've been, we were even surprised to find out that where we really wanted to go to was Manhattan, to be able to reconnect with people and friends we've made there and just put down roots and grow our kids and start the next chapter of our life.”

“As I prepare to transition out of the Army, the Army has been my identity for 20 years now. And so, just, I think there's anxiety, and as you kind of turn over a new leaf or any sort of big chapter in your life, so just praying that we do it well, that I finish out well with my time here, and then we're able to transition and figure out what it is we're going to do in the next phase of life.”

“So those of us who stay in Manhattan, Kansas, for any length of time, to the stayers, hey, lean into relationships. Let people know. So when they come here, and you find out they're a student or a soldier, move towards them. They desire relationships. Help them get plugged in, connected quickly. Invest in the people that are passing through. There are great works to walk in with these people coming through Manhattan, Kansas. Leave people better than you found them, and let your own life be enriched by them.”