Land of Plenty

We have been back in the states for 12 weeks. In that time we have been to Cape Cod, to the Chicago area to buy a house, to Estes Park, to California, to South Beloit IL, and then finally into our new house in Batavia, IL. The kids are well into school and Pete loves his job at Alpha. I am in two bible studies and an Alpha group.

Our reentry has been quite hectic, but most enjoyable.  One of the things that is hard to take in is how much is available. Shopping is still overwhelming to me.  The number of cereals, cheese choices, isles of coffee flavors. There is even a cold case for fresh dog food.

But is not just food.  The choices in shoes, trashcans, toothpaste, holders, zip lock bags, lamps, colored pens, notebooks, laundry detergents. It is hard for me not to get overwhelmed by the choices when I shop. I miss Rosie’s little shop which is the size of my walk in closet now.

We were richly blessed with furniture donations from family and church contacts. Yard sales and estate sales quickly finished off our needs list. It was astounding how much we gleaned from others abundance. I felt like Ruth going through the fields behind the workers, feeding myself off their extra. We each have 3 winter coats thanks to the generosity of others. We also quickly got 5 bikes and have been enjoying the bike trails especially along the river.

I am a bit nervous for Christmas as the hype here for Halloween is huge.  Before Oct 1^st yards were full of skeletons and ghost and creepy monsters.  The stores are packed with costumes and household decorations and enough candy to keep dentists busy for the next five years.

It is hard to “keep it simple” with so much available.

I am still thankful for my dishwasher every day. I still hate to do laundry, but love that I can be typing this while the machine does most of the work. It is easy for us to take for granted how blessed we are. There is a lot of road construction and slow downs here and it always makes me smile when people complain - if they could just see how road construction is done in Cameroon.

I miss the Cameroonian sunsets and the goats frolicking in the yard.  I miss seeing Emily climbing trees in her bare feet. I miss Friday Fellowship with the other Missionaries and I miss Margaret who I did a radio show with.  I miss the smiling faces of my students and I miss the waterfalls.

Yes, we have “plenty” here in America. But only God can fill our hearts with what we really need.

-Joy

In America can we...

About a month ago the girls starting asking me questions that began “in America can we….”  Especially Emily does not remember a lot of what life is like in America. I wish I had written them all down, but here are a few I remember and then some that Josh and I have been wondering.

In America can we buy that whipped cream that you squirt in your mouth?

In America can I have my own room?

In America can you light the stove without holding it and singing to it for 30 seconds….. Hey, are there stoves that you don’t have to light with a match?

In America can we get all our groceries in one place?

In America can I go to the Mall and buy clothes (not lying on the street)

In America can we have pizza with lots of cheese on it?

In America can we have hamburgers (not bean burgers)?

In America can it be my job to push the trash out to the street (rather than schleping down the hill to the compost and burn area)

In America can we walk to the library?

In America does it take 5 to 20 weeks to get mail?

Josh

In American schools will I have to copy down blackboards full of material into a notebook?

In America can I give you my dirty clothes in the morning and have them done by the same day?

In America can I play soccer with a coach and a referee?

In America does it take 1 and half hours to get food in a restaurant?

In America can I eat as much cheese as I want?

In America is it safe to bike to school (ie won’t be run over by cars and motorcycles on the SIDEWALK)

In America can we have electricity 24/7?

Joy

In America can we buy a house on a paved street that has a dishwasher, washer dryer and has hot water running in the kitchen sink?

In America can I have a car that doesn’t break down every week because the roads are so bad?

In America can I talk on the phone as long as I want without counting the cost by the minute?

In America can I really turn on the internet and watch the videos people post on Facebook?

In America can I call Pete and have him pick up Chinese food when I don’t feel like cooking?

In America can Pete start bringing home real flowers instead of plastic ones?

In America will we dream about all the things we miss in Cameroon?

-Joy

Ending Well

During our four months of training at the Mission House we were blessed with so many teachers and mentors. A lot of what they said didn’t sink in until after we were in mission, but then it made so much sense. One instructor emphasized the need to ease into the culture.  That is the opposite to my nature as I like to jump right in an get things organized and get involved. But I followed this advice and it served me well. I plan to do the same (to a lesser degree in Illinois).

Another thing we were told was it was less important what we do as to how we did it.  I found this to be true over and over again.  It was the presence of our family living in Cameroon that meant the most to people.  They of course appreciated our ministry, but they just really enjoyed our family---- Doctor, Madame Newburn and the Trinity as some would say. Our presence was the true present.

And now going through my head, singing to me daily is “end well”. An instructor had told us that and it is something that Pete does very well and I do poorly. I am busy with airline tickets and moving vans and buying a house and it is easy to forget to stay focused on the now. Additionally, I am not very good at goodbyes. I just want to say a quick goodbye or no goodbye and slip out the back door. Part of it is that I don’t want a lot of fuss made about me when I feel I have done so little.  Part of it is the tears that well up, when I start to say what people have meant to me here.

I have been trying as best I can to say goodbye.  The school year ended for the kids May 28. We gave the school a collage of our time at the school and sang to the kids at graduation. Pledge was just the right choice for our kids. It provided good education with so many great cultural experiences. I loved watching Jessica sign a prayer before meal at the assembly and chuckled watching Emily holding a banner against inter-tribal war during a dance performance.

I finished at the Treasure Center in grand style. They had a huge assembly to honor me and to thank me. They danced and sang and had memory verses. Yes, I cried as I said goodbye.  I love those children so. I am convinced that they gave me infinitely more than I gave them.

Other goodbyes are still to come as we finish our last few weeks here. Part of me is rushing to finish up here and get on to the next adventure.  But God whispers “every day is an adventure, don’t rush, breathe it in, cherish each moment, end well”.

-Joy