Off to make dreams come true (not just mine)

Well folks, time here in the U.S. has simply flown by!  I was hoping that while here in Ohio the days would slow down a bit and I would have the feeling of too much down time.  I can assure you, that was not the case.  Let me fill you in on what August has looked like for me.  My first week home in Ohio I assisted with Vacation Bible School at my church.  This is a time where we can share about God with some kids from the neighborhood.  It is always a lot of fun but also a lot of work as there are stories, crafts, songs/dances, snacks, and outdoor activities to plan.  It certainly kept my family busy.  After that week I began my preparations for returning (primarily shopping).  I had rather large lists of requests and gifts I wanted to return with.  I also was able to spend some quality time with my grandparents and got to help them around the house a bit.  Visiting with high school friends also consumed much of my time, but I simply love getting to catch up on people’s lives.  Though we are apart for months or even years, lots changes and often I have not idea how it affects other’s lives.  Thus running around town collecting items to pack and visiting with people made the time fly!

This last week of Aug. I had the great privilege to go to Chicago and meet up with some amazing college friends.  I had not been back to Chicago since graduating 3 years ago.  I must admit, I did not miss that city but the people I met there are missed.  I loved getting to see these friends and listen to their most recent stories.  I know that I have mentioned in earlier blog posts that I am blessed to have such amazing friends, but really I have met some pretty cool people in my life!

Today I got to attend the wedding of a high school friend.  It was wonderful to see such a kind and generous person commit to spending their life entwined with another.  I wish the both a magnitude of happiness.

As Monday morning quickly approaches and my bags become carefully packed, I have come to a few conclusions.  This summer was a wonderful time of rejuvenation through time spent with friends and family.  All the encouragement I have received and support I know will continue when I am in Chad makes me feel confident in my decision to return.  I do miss having friends close by but I have been reminded that though lives might change, friendships will continue.  I also am so grateful that I was able to speak in two churches sharing about my experience and that a 3^rd church has added me to the missionaries that they are supporting.  With all that prayer behind me I look forward to how God will use me.  Finally I am excited to go back and teach the wonderful Kariuki kids.  They truly are great students and I am so lucky that this is my first teaching position.

After an amazing summer of fun and connecting across the country, I am returning to Chad for another school year.  I will try to keep this blog updated to share about my continued experiences.  I will miss all my family and friends here in the US, but returning to Chad allows me to “make dreams come true” (a quote from Katelyn).

July

Well for those of you who were concerned, I have indeed made it back to the U.S.  In fact I have been in the land of plenty for over a month now.  I first got to have 2 weeks of wonderful family time, as my grandpa put it, “a family reunion from 4 countries: Mexico, South Korea, Chad, and the U.S.”  It is true we had that sign taped to the back of our 12-passenger van that my dad was maneuvering around the streets of San Francisco.  It was a wonderful time of catching up on each other’s lives, playing games, and of course celebrating with my Uncle as he married his amazing bride.  I also admit that I was a wimp when it came to the bay area weather….my body was just not used to those frigid temperatures!

From the bay area I travelled north to Portland…the home of my eldest brother and my home previous to departing for Chad.  It was an amazing time of catching up with friends, relaxing, and honestly simply enjoying being with people my age.  We even got to spend one extremely sandy, windy, and unforgettable night along the coast of Oregon.  I will always remember waking up in the morning and not really being able to see the bottom of my tent due to the amount of sand inside.  It was sad to say good-bye, but I left Portland this time knowing that I would be returning in about 8 months.  There is no way I would miss out on the first wedding in my immediate family!

Next stop on my U.S. tour was Redwood City, home of the amazing Sandquist family and Holly.  For the record, I think that since meeting Elle every visit to California has included a stay with her family.  My time there was busy catching up with friends, finding out how lives have changed, and really just being reminded of what Christian community in the U.S. can look like.  Without roll models like these lovely ladies, it is so easy to get sucked into the mainstream culture and simply put my faith on a shelf somewhere.  It is the inspiration that they provided that encourages me to be more intentional in my faith.

This is the brief synopsis of what life has looked like for me in the glorious month of July.  It has been wonderful spending time with people and eating delicious junk food like chips and ice cream.  It is strange to walk into the grocery store here and see all the new flavors or new products that exist, but also realizing the insane amount of choices we must make to create a simple meal like spaghetti.  Honestly though, keeping busy has allowed me to sort of ignore the fact that I do have some things to process from my previous year.  I think that it is easiest to go along with the fun and ignore the idea that my life has been altered over this last year.  Remember I am only just starting to really process what this last year has meant to me.  First I know that I get joy from serving others, making their lives easier, and of course hanging out with children.  There is nothing quite like getting a big old hug from a child to brighten up any day.  I realize how blessed we are to grow up with so many luxuries.  I have learned to appreciate all the little things and thank God for how much he provides for all our needs.  Listening during our family prayer time I’ve realized that probably 70% of the prayers are thanking God for things he has done, has provided, or trusting he will provide.  I am getting to experience first hand how God watches over us.  We could face so many trials or situations could escalate to a dangerous level, but they don’t.  It is amazing how God wakes us up at the right moment, provides us with the needed information, or really works through local government to keep us safe.  It is interesting to change to the mindset that God has us in Chad for a reason, thus he will deliver us safely away when the time comes, or if he calls us home we can rejoice also.  It is finding that happy balance of being smart (like not going out of the compound alone after dark) but not being afraid.

A big area in life is how God is challenging me.  My original intention for going to Chad was the selfish idea that I would finally be able to return to Africa.  I also went under the concept that this trip would be like one of those vegetables your parents tell you to eat because it will be good for you.  Honestly this trip has been more challenging that I could ever have imagined.  First of all I love to serve others, make their loads lighter, and brighten their day some how.  I on the other hand really struggle with asking for help or even admitting that I do need help.  Originally I was planning that I could pretty much cover my costs, for this last year, from my own bank account.  Well God had other plans.  My taxes ended up being way more than I had counted on, reducing my savings by half.  So I had to begin to ask for help.  I started small with family and friends and last year was able to raise all my support through this simple effort.  Simply asking family was uncomfortable, but much easier than asking complete strangers.  This year though I am trying to branch out and really involve a few other churches not because I need so much more money, but because I want to share about my experience, the church in Chad, and the concept of Mission Nannys.  I want to help inspire others to step out of their comfort zone and experience the good and the bad.  Another struggle of mine is learning how to wait and listen.  Travelling off to Africa by myself is not how I imagined my life looking when I was younger.  After college it seems like I am just going from one thing to the next, figuring out each year what to do with the next year.  It seems like I am listening and waiting for God’s timing…but it is very hard to not be in control.  I do not like not knowing what comes next and not knowing seems to be my reality.

But anyway what comes next at this point is VBS or vacation Bible school.  We are actually just wraping up our week, then I can finally start to focus again on my return to Chad.  It is that time again….also if any one has any questions I can answer please, send them my way!