When These Worlds Collide
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- celebrating Passover 08
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- Christianne and Me
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- Tracey, Nicole, Me, Andrea at the Friendship Tea Party
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- Elijah, Graham, and Aidan playing soccer before worship at SPW
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- Hannah, Elijah, Gabriel, and Caleb dressed up for the Disco!
Family: We celebrated the passover together as an annual family tradition
Kabiye Ministry: Dave has been digging wells in the villages of Kacaade and Lassa Tchou. They have begun their 5th test well this week. I have been teaching from the book of John on Thursday mornings and two of the women leaders in two different village churches (Christianne and Mazalo) have been coming to town to study. Last Thursday the mother of the children that had been neglected and abused (click here for what was happening a year ago) came, too, and I watched Christianne and Mazalo encourage and minister to her. It was a beautiful thing to witness.
Team: Hannah hosted a friendship tea party at our house. The next week I went with the team ladies to the capitol city of Lome’ to celebrate a farewell trip for my dear friend, Tracey.
School: For the end of the year we had an open house night one week and then a couple of weeks later celebrated the last day of school with a team disco. All of our team kids dressed up in their fancy clothes and we had some great celebration time!
Kabiye Church: This past Sunday the village of Soumdina Po Wayi dedicated their new church building and we had a wonderful worship time and meal together. Some of our boys enjoyed playing soccer while they waited for worship time to start.
Yes, my “worlds” collide, but I love this life and its flavor. This is what makes me feel “different” sometimes. My culture isn’t only American or only Kabiye. I live in and out of both worlds and what results is a life that is sometimes difficult to explain. My family and teammates and I truly live in a third culture. I think my children feel this even more acutely than David and I do since they are raised in this in between world. As one of our professors told us in our missions preparation classes before we ever left for Togo, “Right now you are American. You are ‘blue’. When you get to your mission field those people will be ‘yellow’. For awhile you’ll still be blue and then try to become yellow, but one day you’ll look in the mirror and realize you’re ‘green’ and you’ll never go back to blue.” I’ve found this to be true and I am thankful that God has called us to be green, though it isn’t always simple being a different “color”.
Hey Becky,
Just wanted to say that I appreciate your thoughts. Continue to write as God works in and through you. Blessings to You, David and your kids from another “green” person.
It is so good to hear you say that you love the life you are in. I remember the green analogy– and I used to be concerned that the kids would never really “fit” anywhere in this world… but since none of us really “belong” in this world– I know they are adjustable in any color– and because of your family’s greenness– I think I have become a bit of aqua myself (one of my favorite colors!)
Love you- Mom
Becky, I am still amazed at my “greenness” even after having only spent 2 years in Togo. While I have been back for over 6 years now, my heart is still tangled up in Watchi-land, and I will always be different from those around me (unless they, too, have experienced changing colors). It’s not something that I can always put my finger on, and I don’t know that those around me would even say the same thing (unless they know the deep-down real Sandi), but I am acutely aware of it. It is what makes me a “Wayfaring Stranger” — not in a sad kind of way, although sometimes it does feel that way — sometimes I feel silly that only 2 years could change me so much, but it was such a beautiful way of life (and not to mention the intensity of relationship that is experienced on a team).
You have described it well. We have a strange, different, amazing, challenging, delightful life. There is depth and color and great testimony. I love it. I miss it. I am still in the midst of it. There seems to be a constant ache in my heart…although this does not mean I am continuously sad…there is joy and passion and a hunger for more depth and rewarding experiences! Love hearing your heart Becky. I know this must be a hard season. I am praying for you, your family and your team.
Blessings,
Thank you, friends (and Mom), for your comments. I identify and agree with everything you’ve all written. I love the ache, too, Kelly and Sandi, even though it is sometimes sad. It makes me feel real, as though I’m really living in God’s kingdom and longing for a better home. I wouldn’t choose to anesthetize it with constant comfort for anything. When God brings the comfort and blessing it is a far greater grace and when he gives us pain and suffering to bring Him glory the joy just roots in deeper. Is it valuable to change colors for the richness of experience and benefits of worldview for this life? Probably. But doing it for Jesus….oh yes!! It is more than worth it. I’ve received more from him than I could ever give. With every sacrifice he exponentially multiplies the blessing of allowing me to see another piece of Himself. And the even more incredible reality…what is left from this raw me? LOVE to pour out from the overflowing of the love received.