Larry, Suzanne & Sarah are here!

Larry and Josh standing on our soon to be home

Grace and Daddy in the girls room

Prayer time before beginning the work on the house

Youth from our church working on our house to get money for their conference

My home underway!

Family time!

So glad to have U. Larry & A. Suzanne!

And Sarah!

Preschool with Luka

September 10, 2013

We have begun!  Our house is started!  I never knew it would be so exciting. 

Uncle Larry and aunt Suzanne arrived last Tuesday night – it is so good to have them in Africa again!  They just fit right in.  They are at home and go with the flow on the mission field.  They bring so much wisdom and encouragement.  I already really appreciate them.  I love having relatives to fill in the grandparent role for our kids.  It is precious to see Luka and Larry together, a blessing to have Suzanne spend time with the girls and help with Malai.  I’m so happy they are here!  We have been spending a lot of time together the first week – orientating, sharing meals, learning about the town and culture…  Larry has jumped right in with building too.  He loves it!  How rewarding to do work that makes you smile.  Josh and Larry staked out the whole house Saturday and Monday started digging the foundation.  Larry has learned to drive the motorcycle and the way to his house and Obulle!  Pretty good for less than a week here.  Aunt Suzanne has been making home.  It takes time to unpack, arrange, and clean out the bugs (literally in this case!) not to mention figuring out how and where to buy food so they can eat.  It takes time to know how to live here.  Suzanne is also teaching our girls piano – yeah!  She came with lots of goodies and good ideas.  Should be fun!

Sarah also arrived with Larry and Suzanne.  We are SO thankful to have Sarah here to teach Lydia and Grace!!!  I just love her and already know she is a fit for our family.  God knew who we needed and answered our prayers by calling Sarah to come.  This is Sarah’s first time in Africa so it is overwhelming at times.  She has done a good job sharing her feelings and what she is going through as she takes it all in.  The extreme gap between our rich culture and this third world poverty has really struck her.  I try to remember every day that this is all new to her and keep asking her how she is doing.  She finds comfort in being apart of our family in the mist of all the unfamiliar.  Sarah has a thankful heart and a willingness to serve God wherever He leads her so she is an easy guest to have.  I appreciate her love for the Lord and that is why we get along so well and have grown so close already – we share the same heart for God.  Monday I took her out for coffee before starting the school year so we could pray together.  We ended up talking and praying for over two hours – and could have kept going!  It is a blessing to encourage one another with what God has taught and shown us and challenge each other to continue seeking and serving the Lord.  Love it!  I have already been blessed to have Sarah as apart of our family.  Selfishly, I hope she stays!  Sarah jumped right into teaching and today they are enjoying their third day of school.  How great to have a teacher – not just a teacher but one who desires for Lydia and Grace to become disciples of Jesus.  Thank you God!         

It is a busy season though, it always is with welcoming guests.  I try not to complain about being busy.  Everyone complains about being busy.  There are good things about being busy but it feels like we have been in a long season of being full.  I was thinking about how to explain it to all of you back in America.  Our business is different here.  How do I explain enfolding new teammates or visitors here?  All I could come up with is, refugees.  (I hope I am not offending anyone who has come to stay with us.  I love having you!  But the truth is it takes time.)  I choose refugees because growing up my family helped two refugee families come to the States and make home.  It takes time.  You have to show them how to do things, where to get things, you need to teach them cultural things, language, you share meals together, explain things, take them places, help with housing, transportation…  See what I am saying?  Our teammates are new to this culture.  Things are new and you are out of place.  We try our best to be there, help, show, explain and it all takes time.  Like I said I love having our guests or new teammates, but I wonder how many of you have had people for dinner every night for a week?  As a wife and mother of 4 alone I am full, but here on the mission field I also care for a team and do ministry at least relationships in the village.  And so in all honesty, I am tired.  I am so thankful for all God has called me to and know He is with me, but I am human.  On top of welcoming people here I have a baby who doesn’t sleep all night, so I know that is taking its toll.  I just want people understand a little more.  Don’t worry I am doing well, I am just sharing.  (Thanks for listening.) 

We  took a few days away with our family before our visitors came and before we got into the swing of things with building.  It was nice to be with just our family and enjoy seeing the kids having fun.  Little things like Luka showing me how he walks like a crab in the pool, being with my girls without anyone yelling at us, or holding Emalai without having something else I need to be doing – is so good to stop and cherish.  It isn’t easy getting away in this country.  It takes work, money, stress, and a lot of traveling.  I know that we need to do it but I also love that I am always thankful to be back home again.  Routine is a blessing too. 

Emalai got her first tooth!  I guess that is exciting but there are signs of the second one and the pain that comes with each one is not exciting.  How many more do we have to go?!  She is cute with her one tooth grin though.  She loves to dance (shakes her little bottom when she hears music), claps, move!, and smiles lots.  She is a mommy’s girl so it is good to have Suzanne and Sarah her to help her learn to like others.  Luka and I are now doing preschool.  He loves school.  We learned about things that are the same or go together yesterday and so I told him to go to his room and come back with something that goes together.  He came out with his cowboy boots, cowboy hat, and belt on.  Love it!  I am reminded how much I like teaching the younger years when it is fun, simple, and short.   

I really enjoyed taking our guest to Obulle Sunday.  It is a joy to sharing our friends and soon to be home with others.  Church was encouraging as we worshiped, praised God, and heard truth from God’s Word.  Even Sarah shared how challenged she was by Charles message.  He was talking about forgiving at one point and to illustrate unforgivness he picked up chairs each time he chose not to forgive to show the burden we end up carrying around and hurting ourselves and making us ineffective.  Our guest were treated to their first local food and even liked it (at least they said they did and ate it).  My kids love it and were thrilled.  I was just thankful not to have to cook J. 

After church we went to see our garage now that it was completely done.  I was so happy with the work they did and how it turned out.  We also stood in our house – at least what will be our house.  It was all roped off so we could see the rooms and start to envision what it will look like.  It was great and even better when Larry is so looking forward to building.  Suzanne is determined to move us into our house before they leave December 16.  Monday the digging began.  Josh told the youth at our church he would pay them if they came to work so they would have money for the youth conference this week at our church.  Twenty five youth came to dig!  It was so fun to see.  Today they will be laying the foundation I think.  I look forward to going to see…  

I better stop here.  So thankful I got a chance to share.  I will keep sharing at least picture progress on our blog of the house.  Thanks for praying for our family, our guests, and our home to be!