Those before me all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city.
These words were penned by an early church leader in a letter to the early Hebrew-Christian church. They bring comfort to one who plans on leaving home to teach on another continent in a few short weeks, for they remind her: home is not the white structure that has been the scene of so many memories, nor even the love and comfort of family and friends. Home is eternally heaven, and when I arrive there one day, I will never regret following God's lead to uncharted territory, be it an unfamiliar school or an unfamiliar continent.
Strangerhood is a confession to be made. A child of God is a traveler, a pilgrim, far from home, but with much to do along the way.