The Final Return

Often it is easier to make new memories instead of reminiscing about the old.  However I am a strong believer that our past is what makes us who we are today.  It has been very easy to simply slip into the flow of things and not take time for processing the experiences I just had.  The following is my attempt to force myself to think about what took place in my life and how it has changed the way I view the world.

About two years ago I traveled to a place I knew little about.  I didn’t really know what to expect, although I knew the family I would be living with was nice.  Upon landing in this foreign land, it was hard to see beyond the rain dripping down the bus window onto me and the treeless landscape I saw out the window.  I was nervous as well as excited to begin this new adventure.  Well one month ago this adventure ended.  After spending 16 months in Africa I have returned to the United States.  Upon my return I spent a month in Ohio visiting with my parents, brother, grandparents, and other friends.  I have now returned to Portland, Oregon where I am hoping to reestablish myself and find a job.  In the meantime, I want to share a little glimpse or reflection of what the past two years have been like.

As previously stated, I had no idea what to expect from my experience in Chad, nor did I even imagine that I would stay the extra year.  The first portion of my stay was spent getting to know the Kariuki family and figure out how I fit into their life.  I began teaching and designing activities for the kids and rediscovered my joy for seeing kids learn.  I suppose not just seeing them learn (like watching Katelyn learn to read, Marianna discover her aptitude for math, Zack’s spelling improving by leaps and bounds, and Josh taking responsibility and working independently) but seeing their curiosity evolve.  I had the privilege to play with the children, including the neighbor kids and the guard’s son.  I discovered how I could best help around the house and discovered when I needed to remove myself and have some quiet time.  Another interesting aspect was discovering how people operate in extremely warm temperatures.  I also got to enjoy the love of a little puppy, something I had never really experienced before.

Outside of our family compound I was introduced to a community of people who worked together and thrived despite the difficulties that they faced.  Each person knew their role and was unafraid to ask for help or to offer it.  For people who appeared to have so little in my eyes, generosity was simply an everyday event.  Meals were shared and houses were opened.  The people of Chad were kind, intelligent, hard working, and determined to give their children the best life possible.  I am so grateful that I got to be just a small part of that community for a short time.

 

I learned about the process of food preparation in a country like Chad.  I chopped up a chicken, helped make guava, papaya, and mango jams, sifted bugs out of the flour, and observed the difficulty to simply keep enough filtered water for a family when temperatures really got hot.  I also had the opportunity to work on a few sewing projects, though I regret not getting a tutorial of hand sewing from Margaret.

 

My favorite part of being in Chad, aside from getting to be a part of an amazing family, was the time we spent out at the YWAM base.  I got to observe the construction and watch as the land developed.  I also got to help a very small amount with the labor.  I loved getting to observe the community that exits is a place like that, all the joy, sorrow, and peace.  Despite my embarrassment of my lack of French, I did enjoy being forced to use it.  The wide-open spaces also grew on me as I spent more time there.  Getting to be on the base after dark allowed for some pretty amazing views of the stars, always a favorite with me.

From hippos to lizards Chad will always have a place in my heart.  I admit it was difficult to leave not knowing whether I would ever return again.  Not a day has gone by when I haven’t thought about that amazing place, but I know that there are great things in store for me yet.