I have to admit that we had a bad day. It wasn’t all-out terrible, just a typical, “not
the greatest” kind of day. What was a
little strange is it felt normal.
The day before, Kim and I were driving back from the
district immigration office. We had our
visas in hand, but were still waiting for four of the children’s visas (that’s another
story). As we were driving, Kim was
commenting that he really didn’t feel like a missionary, he was just doing what
he does all along—help where needed, connect with people and keep busy. I agreed.
My days have felt rather normal, too.
We’ve been working with kids—just a few more than our typical crew of 5,
plan lessons (similar, but just multiplying it by a few more people), take care
of our household, take care of books and solve problems as they come up. We are busy some evenings, running around
some days and building connections with those around us. It’s really nothing fancy, just what we’ve always
done . . . only now it’s in Rwanda.
We don’t FEEL like we are missionaries, yet we are DOING the
work that God has us doing right now.
Wouldn’t it be great that as soon as you stepped out in faith or assumed
a position of responsibility that all of a sudden, you would be dramatically
changed into the person you hoped you would be?
When we stepped foot in Rwanda, we didn’t magically change into these
superhero missionaries . . .no, we are exactly who we were when we left
Canada. This has given me much to ponder
on.
We know that we are to be here, there’s no doubt. God is using our gifts, strengths, abilities
and weaknesses to do the work that He has set out for us to do. When we feel weak, we need to rely on Him to
be strong. When there’s a strength for
us to share, we need to trust God to give us creativity in sharing this
strength in a way that will bridge the culture and language barriers. Even in that, the reality is we will not be
perfect. We will make mistakes (ahh, my
biggest fear!). Because there really isn’t
much privacy (all the walls are vented, our voices carry, our home and life is
under a microscope, because we are white), there is an underlying pressure to
be perfect. This is why those bad days—when
they come—are so hard to take.
To be honest, while the work here has been challenging, it
hasn’t been impossible. The biggest
challenge has been only having each other to rely on. We can’t talk with friends and vent or let
out a bit of steam. It’s limited to
here. Chatting on the internet and email
is fine, but it’s not the same. Emotions
can run high and without an “escape”, we all have our very real moments of
weakness. Everyone is missing their friends,
familiarity and home. This is the
reality we are facing at this time.
We thank you for your continued prayers and words of
encouragement. The words that come from
friends and family are gold to us. Know
that your prayers are making a difference.
We see God at work. We see
connections being built that only God can build. We are getting more creative with meals,
eating better and learning to bake with the different ingredients we have on
hand. We are trusting God to meet our
needs—spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially. Our family is learning to connect on a deeper
level and rely on each other. It’s hard,
but good.
I am thankful that God gives words of encouragement to our
family to remind us that He is in control.
Today, I was given this quote:
“The storms will come, they always do, but remember that God
is always in the storm with you.”
Please continue to pray for visas and for Nathan’s birth
certificate to come (the rest of the kids have theirs).
Wisdom and insight as we continue to navigate the challenges
that arise daily.
Connections for us all, that God would bring us into contact
with friends here in Rwanda.
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