Home. I do love it. I'm grateful for my "tribe", our house, the friends who we walk through this life alongside, the training ground for my kids in relationships and issues of life, and the faith community we belong to.
And yet...
I already miss the simplicity of life in the culture we've just been a guest in for a week. Simple, not easy. Just fewer trappings to hide behind and be distracted by.
Reverse culture shock is normal. Part of our debrief with our team includes anticipating what we may face when stepping back into our culture which is very different from where we've just been. We need to deal with being torn away from the setting where we were learning so many things...about this other people group, about forming relationships with them, about each other on the team, about God, about ourselves. We bonded as a team and are now scattered back into lives that were put on pause when we left for BD together.
Each of us now grapples with how our experience on the other side of the world is meant to fit into every day life as we've known it thus far. All while also trying to function through the fog of jetlag. Which is not for faint-hearted, believe me.
I certainly am still in this process. Having participated in teams to BD several times, you'd think this becomes easier somehow. Not so, I'm realizing. Each trip has its own dynamic, its own new things, its own perspective. The lessons that rise to the surface will happen over time and what they mean to my life will continue to emerge periodically.
For now, let me tell you what my current "take aways" from this trip have been:
1. The trip is not always all about the trip. When God prompts us to "go" and we obey, we often find that the first purpose of this invitation is NOT about us being needed to help somewhere. We are not called because we are in some position of strength. Instead, our weaknesses somehow expose themselves and we are faced with our own need of God and Him showing Himself despite us. Being away from our familiar can give our hearts room to recognize things we may have been pushing aside, trying to ignore. As leaders on this trip, JJ and I are accessible to the team and therefore witness this phenomenon in others. I have gone through this myself on different short missions. This time though, we were humbled at the privilege to peek into the lives of other teammates and witness this happening in their own hearts. God is good and He is big and His love for us so fierce He uses ANY situation in our lives to speak to and transform us. That leaves me in wonder. He allows me to see and understand His great wisdom and artistry in His power to impact change for our good in unsuspecting moments.
2. Encouragement. JJ and I sponsor 2 girls to be housed, get more nourishing food, and get a Christian education at HoB. You've seen the pictures in previous posts. What you don't see is that one of the girls was born as a result of her birth mom employed by a brothel. Usually HoB kids whose life originated in a brothel are kept separately housed, due to the stigma given- even though these kids dont have control over where they were born. SO...going into this trip and knowing that CSS was arranging to make sure both our girls were present during our visit, I was unsure of how our daughter from the brothel would fare in the gen-pop of the other HoB girls. What we witnessed is both our girls having a genuine, sisterly friendship with each other...talking, laughing, holding hand, helping each other. That was seriously heart warming and greatly encouraging.
We still pray for both of them, as one has grown up longer in HoB and seems to own her faith in the Way, while the other shows signs that the religion of the majority in BD is still hers. Until I can see them again, I pray the One True God reveals Himself further to each of them, and that they each apply themselves to their studies so they can test into the nursing program following their HoB years. I also pray that their hearts grow even more in kindness and compassion.
3. Vision. JJ and I were able to spend time with CSS's leader and prayerfully discuss how our future teams can encourage what God is doing. Given the origin of one of our girls, I am excited to explore the opportunity to offer a rehab program for women choosing to exit brothel life. CSS has had such a program in the past, but the funding has decreased and they have not been able to offer it in years. It's a wonderful program that offers counseling, Bible teaching, skill training and, upon successful completion, a bit of land far removed from their former way of life and a microloan to help start a legitimate business. A few years ago Jim and I met a beneficiary of that rehab program who is now married to a police officer and is a strong women's advocate in the country. We will continue to research ways to assist the program to launch again, and perhaps be able to take small teams of women to help run special clinics for women in the program. Much prayer and wisdom is needed.
There may so be opportinities to help in the Technical School with skills-building, as well as the possiblity to take a small medical team to assist at CSS's hospital and/or nursing school. The nursing school is still being built (right next to the hospital), and hopes to start up soon. Students have already been accepted into the program and are awaiting the date of classes beginning.
So, lots to think and pray through.
Thank YOU for you interest and prayers and support. None of it is wasted. You have been a part of this team. Many of you will continue in your involvement from here as time goes on. Blessing to you all.
And yet...
I already miss the simplicity of life in the culture we've just been a guest in for a week. Simple, not easy. Just fewer trappings to hide behind and be distracted by.
Reverse culture shock is normal. Part of our debrief with our team includes anticipating what we may face when stepping back into our culture which is very different from where we've just been. We need to deal with being torn away from the setting where we were learning so many things...about this other people group, about forming relationships with them, about each other on the team, about God, about ourselves. We bonded as a team and are now scattered back into lives that were put on pause when we left for BD together.
Each of us now grapples with how our experience on the other side of the world is meant to fit into every day life as we've known it thus far. All while also trying to function through the fog of jetlag. Which is not for faint-hearted, believe me.
I certainly am still in this process. Having participated in teams to BD several times, you'd think this becomes easier somehow. Not so, I'm realizing. Each trip has its own dynamic, its own new things, its own perspective. The lessons that rise to the surface will happen over time and what they mean to my life will continue to emerge periodically.
For now, let me tell you what my current "take aways" from this trip have been:
1. The trip is not always all about the trip. When God prompts us to "go" and we obey, we often find that the first purpose of this invitation is NOT about us being needed to help somewhere. We are not called because we are in some position of strength. Instead, our weaknesses somehow expose themselves and we are faced with our own need of God and Him showing Himself despite us. Being away from our familiar can give our hearts room to recognize things we may have been pushing aside, trying to ignore. As leaders on this trip, JJ and I are accessible to the team and therefore witness this phenomenon in others. I have gone through this myself on different short missions. This time though, we were humbled at the privilege to peek into the lives of other teammates and witness this happening in their own hearts. God is good and He is big and His love for us so fierce He uses ANY situation in our lives to speak to and transform us. That leaves me in wonder. He allows me to see and understand His great wisdom and artistry in His power to impact change for our good in unsuspecting moments.
2. Encouragement. JJ and I sponsor 2 girls to be housed, get more nourishing food, and get a Christian education at HoB. You've seen the pictures in previous posts. What you don't see is that one of the girls was born as a result of her birth mom employed by a brothel. Usually HoB kids whose life originated in a brothel are kept separately housed, due to the stigma given- even though these kids dont have control over where they were born. SO...going into this trip and knowing that CSS was arranging to make sure both our girls were present during our visit, I was unsure of how our daughter from the brothel would fare in the gen-pop of the other HoB girls. What we witnessed is both our girls having a genuine, sisterly friendship with each other...talking, laughing, holding hand, helping each other. That was seriously heart warming and greatly encouraging.
We still pray for both of them, as one has grown up longer in HoB and seems to own her faith in the Way, while the other shows signs that the religion of the majority in BD is still hers. Until I can see them again, I pray the One True God reveals Himself further to each of them, and that they each apply themselves to their studies so they can test into the nursing program following their HoB years. I also pray that their hearts grow even more in kindness and compassion.
3. Vision. JJ and I were able to spend time with CSS's leader and prayerfully discuss how our future teams can encourage what God is doing. Given the origin of one of our girls, I am excited to explore the opportunity to offer a rehab program for women choosing to exit brothel life. CSS has had such a program in the past, but the funding has decreased and they have not been able to offer it in years. It's a wonderful program that offers counseling, Bible teaching, skill training and, upon successful completion, a bit of land far removed from their former way of life and a microloan to help start a legitimate business. A few years ago Jim and I met a beneficiary of that rehab program who is now married to a police officer and is a strong women's advocate in the country. We will continue to research ways to assist the program to launch again, and perhaps be able to take small teams of women to help run special clinics for women in the program. Much prayer and wisdom is needed.
There may so be opportinities to help in the Technical School with skills-building, as well as the possiblity to take a small medical team to assist at CSS's hospital and/or nursing school. The nursing school is still being built (right next to the hospital), and hopes to start up soon. Students have already been accepted into the program and are awaiting the date of classes beginning.
So, lots to think and pray through.
Thank YOU for you interest and prayers and support. None of it is wasted. You have been a part of this team. Many of you will continue in your involvement from here as time goes on. Blessing to you all.
