Back in Africa

We made it!  After a day of flying on jam packed airplanes, we arrived in Nairobi, were picked up by the wonderful driver at "Just Connections" company, crammed way too many suitcases in their van, and wearily but happily made our way to the Mennonite Guest House to recover a little from the jet lag and to hopefully connect with Stephen for a while before going on to Rwanda. 

We never would have made it back to Africa if it weren't for my brother, Mike.  He is a captain with Airtran, an airline based out of Atlanta, which was where our trip began.  He arranged for us to stay in an airport hotel the day before we left, took the day off and helped us with our final packing and weighing of bags, he arranged for our travel to the airport, getting us through ticketing and security, boarding passes and the like.  Basically, I had severely underestimated all it was going to take to get us and all our loot back on a plane for Rwanda.  We took so many gifts back with us, including 190 Beanie Babies, over 100 hot wheels cars, many, many balls, coloring books, over 100 boxes of crayons, Hannah's violin, lovingly driven for three hours in the early morning and delivered to our hotel by her Aunt Sally the morning of our departure, clothes and more, not to mention a delicate donated medical instrument Tim needed for doing skin grafts for burn victims and other reasons, which was worth $11,000.   It added up to a ton of luggage.  Getting that instrument through security was another challenge which Mike maneuvered with amazing finesse - Whew!    Mike made it all possible - he basically was Tim's stand-in to organizing and wrangling our crazy family!  I was once again amazed at the way God provides for me, one of the most A.D.D. people I've ever known.  I had been blithely unaware of the difficulty of what we were about to do, thinking I could get it all done, "no problem".  Well, turns out, if Mike hadn't come along besides me when he did, I am sure we wouldn't have made it onto our plane.  Airports are his area of expertise, since he has been in the industry over 25 years - and he made the entire event go as smooth as silk.  I'm so thankful.  I pray that our children will one day be as helpful and kind to one another as my and Tim's siblings have been with us.  

The Mennonite Guest House feels like a slice of Heaven on earth.  The grounds fairly burst with blossoms of a variety of plants, trees and flowers, and birds' singing serves as our alarm clock in the morning time.  Two large trees in the center of the grassy courtyard, well over 30 feet tall, host delightful tree swings which all of us enjoy.  

This morning's Bible reading encouraged my travel-tired heart, so I'll include a little bit here:  

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;

make known among the nations what he has done.

Sing to Him, sing praise to him;

tell of all his wonderful acts.

Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

Look to the Lord and his strength;

seek his face always."

- Psalm 105:1-4

That's what we hope to do here in Africa, and what of course all of his children hope to do with every day of our lives, when we remember to be intentional in our day to day existence, rather than just to exist.  I feel I've been caught in the in between of life lately, and have slipped into the existence mode, rather than an intentional living state of being.  

Today I was so happy to feel His reminder to begin again to try to seek his face and hear his voice in the day to day of life.    

Tomorrow we hope to fly the last leg of our journey home, where I will finally see Tim after almost a month of living apart.   

Hannah came to spend the second half of our Africa mission with us - I am overjoyed every time I remember she is here.  It almost feels like a dream; I wanted her here with us for so long, and now she really IS here.  It is still a little hard to believe.  We can't wait to show her all the things and places and people we've come to love in our short time here.  I know she will love working with the patients in the hospital, helping them with art projects, teaching Bible stories, and perhaps even painting a mural in the pediatric post-surgery ward, like she did for the special needs orphanage in Haiti.  This Guest House was just the beginning of all we want to share with her.  I feel a part of my heart is back in place, having her back with the family again.  Knowing it is only temporary, that she will soon begin college and be gone again, makes it all the more precious.  I don't want to lose a second of this time!  

The semester will be a busy one for all of us.  For Hannah, deciding which college to attend is probably the most pressing thing.  I am glad she will have the perspective that can be gained from the friends she will make here in Rwanda while making that decision.  Stephen will be finishing out his term at Rift Valley Academy, and I will be tutoring Ruthie and Sam through the second half of the home school year.  Of course, Tim remains as busy as ever - and he loves every minute of it.  I am already grieving the loss of having to leave this wonderful land behind us come July. 

As much as we loved being home over Christmas, I feel at home again already here - and have only been back for a little over 24 hours.  I don't want to leave, and yet I love our church, our town, our friends and family so much back home -- I will be happy to be with them again as well.  How strange to love two places and two lives so much, at the same time.  

Stephen will arrive by the Just Connections driver in just about 15 minutes, and we will enjoy a day together.  I can't wait to see that boy!  

Thanks to all who read our little blog, and to all who encouraged me to keep on posting when I was back home.  I didn't realize so many were reading!  Here's my first installment of the second half of our mission journey.  Hope you enjoy reading.  I'll do my best to keep you all updated on our adventures in the upcoming weeks and months.