Mission Safari: The Next Chapter(s)

Still Homeless, But Not for Long

Our days of homelessness are coming to a close, literally.  We close on our house Tuesday, July 3rd.  We are very excited about this.  Marti rents a van today in St. Louis to start her trek to Virginia and will arrive with the kids and most of our luggage on Monday evening.  I continue to lodge with my boss and her family.  It has been a blessing to stay in a home as opposed to a hotel room or hospital room.  God has certainly provided for our needs during this transition.

Unfortunately, our container is about 2-3 weeks behind schedule.  It was to arrive in Norfolk this past Monday, but had only made it to Northern Italy by Monday.  As disappointing as that is, we have experience now and will be able to adjust.  We will at least have some beds and some other furniture to set up "camp" again.  Big advantage this time?  Can you say Wal-Mart, paper products, Starbucks, and Pizza Hut??  Oh, and we speak the same language as everyone around us!

I really love my new job.  It is a great fit for me.  I am glad the temporary job in Granite City fell through.  I have been able to adjust to my new job much easier.  I love the nurses, docs, and patients.  I haven't had this much fun in medicine for a few years.  I miss the daily interaction with the young docs in Kenya, but feel like a 500 lb monkey is off my back. 

The kids finally finished their school year yesterday.  The trip in Europe cut them a few weeks short and so they had to finish here.  After the first couple of weeks of visiting friends and family, Marti got them back to the books to finish up.  Not without some frowns and resistance.  But thankfully everyone persevered and finished.  They will get about 6 weeks off before starting up again in August sometime. 

Marti continues to plod along in her pregnancy.  She is now 28 weeks.  She feels bad about once a day for a couple of hours then feels better (can't say that she feels "good" at 28 weeks).  We are so excited and can't wait to add another little girl to the fold!

I continue to be amazed at American culture.  I totally enjoy being back, but am amazed at how superficial and sensational the news is.  I used to be a (I guess I still am), a news freak, but I can hardly stand to watch any of the news stations....I still can't get over this Paris Hilton nonsense.  Anyway, I don't want to sound too harsh...it's just an observation.  About all I can stand to watch on TV since I came back is SportsCenter on ESPN. 

One positive thing about American culture is efficiency.  I got an email from my realtor last week stating I needed to contact the different utility companies to get them transferred into my name starting next week.  I dreaded it...I have been conditioned that this is an arduous process.  But I forgot where I was.  I just started calling the numbers for the companies.  Over the phone I connected all of them.  Usually in less than 5 minutes.  Now that is service.  And a relief.

It is hard to believe that we have only been back for a month.  So much has happened.  It is kind of surreal.  And so much more is coming our way this year.  Thankfully God is in control.  And we really have learned to live a day at a time. It is really making a difference in our adjustment and transition.

Great Friends

I have a confession to make.  I realized this weekend that I am still having some insecurities and struggles about the decision to come back to the States.  I didn't realize this until I had to travel from Virginia to South Carolina to get some of our stuff out of storage this weekend. 

It has been such a crazy past couple of weeks that by Wednesday evening I had no desire to do this chore.  I was going to have to take Amtrak from Richmond to Columbia, get a cab, get a hotel, get a UHaul, and then to get the stuff in Greenwood and then Newberry.  Not a big deal right? 

Except for the fact that I have SO many friends in both towns.  And I should be glad to see them, right?  Normally the answer would be YES.  But, much to my shame, I realized I wasn't quite ready to see them.  "What would they think about our return?  What about our decision to go to Virginia instead of returning to South Carolina?  What will I say?"

But I learned in such a powerful way just how blessed we are with our friends and supporters in South Carolina.  From the time I arrived Friday morning until I left this afternoon (Sunday), I was loved on, hugged on, encouraged, and blessed.  Every single friend received me with open arms.  One even intentionally shared that he wanted me to know that "no matter why you had to come home, we love you and support you."  That meant so much.  And it showed me another way in which God is gracious and merciful through His body.

I didn't realize that I am still struggling (at times), but God met my needs.  He let me know through my friends that He is in control.  He meets our needs - physical, emotional, and spiritual.  Even though I didn't get into Columbia until 2am Friday morning (thanks to Amtrak), spent the afternoon loading a truck, stayed up after midnight both Friday and Saturday night visiting friends, and drove 6 hours back to Virginia tonight, I am more refreshed.  Because we have great friends in the Lord.  And because God is using them to help "heal me up."

We have great friends.  We serve and even greater God.

We're Back....

We are back in the USA.  We are have only been SLIGHTLY busy!  I can't even begin to tell you what all has happened.  But let's just say that in the first 14 days back, we have visited our family in Illinois, traveled 900 miles to Virginia, met with a real estate agent, viewed 6 homes, decided on one, made an offer, had it accepted, and I have completed two ER shifts already.  God is good and we are exhausted.

Here are some of our impressions of our first two weeks back:

We are already sick of eating out. 
It is easier to get a cellphone in Kenya.
It is easier to find a public cybercafe in Kenya.
There are SO MANY choices in an American Supermarket.
Americans are obsessed with silly famous people in the news (Paris Hilton, give me a break).
God uses people in very unexpected ways.
The roads in America ARE WONDERFUL!
I really like my new hospital.
Americans know customer service.

Well, the computer I am using at a public library in Hopewell Virginia is closing.  So, I will close here.

More thoughts later.