The Joy of Returning

Easy-Teasy learning to bat in our yard.

We’ve been back in our house in the Sahel for about a month now. What struck me most about returning this time is that we usually have a short honeymoon period of just being happy and joyful for being back. It’s nice to be in our house that we’ve become used to. It’s comfortable to be speaking the local language with all its repetitive greetings. To see our friends and have weather conducive to playing outside in the sand every day. But a lot of that warm glow fades pretty quickly as there are always so many repairs to do to get the plastic, rubber, cloth, electrical, and mechanical things back working after sitting for many months in excessive dust and heat. Because of that, perennial transportation issues, and all the cultural/language differences, it hits so clearly after a short time that everything we do here seems to take so much more effort than the way we’re used to doing things in the US. In addition, the internet was turned off by the government for 10 days here because of political unrest. That really disconnected us from our normal level of connection to family and work things, and since then we’ve continued to have very slow or non-existent internet which has increased our feeling of discombobulation.

El Padre receiving a visit from
 one of our neighbors.

But the joy still does continue in many new things and routines, like our kids starting and really enjoying French classes. Our older semi-adopted son, Sunny’s copy shop has started to pick up in business. We’ve had encouraging discussions with co-workers about some good ways for the CHE training to go forward. And finding ways even in a COVID-19 world to share in fellowship with our siblings in Christ here. Despite our clumsiness in language and culture they have re-received us with joy.  Sometimes even with hugs, which is very uncommon in this culture!  A part of that joy is simply that we’ve made the effort (and continue to make it every day) to be here present and learning with them.

-- El Padre