The Trip that Changes Lives, Part 3: The BIG Day

Finally, after three and a half days in Haiti, we were able to meet our sponsor children!  Before I went to Peru when I read the schedule I thought, "Why do they make us wait until the end of the week to meet our children!?!"  As one of the men on our trip said at the evening debriefing on the day we met our children, "Thank you for having this be the last thing in the week.  I am emotionally drained and would be of little use tomorrow!"  Obviously, there is wisdom and experience in the schedule making!

The morning we were to meet our children found us finished with breakfast and ready for the day much faster than any other day of the trip.  Even the people who were always the last ones to arrive for anything were ready early!

We were to spend the day at our hotel, enjoying the grounds and pool as we played and chatted together with our children.  So, we all gathered in the area around the pool to wait to meet our children.  We were called one by one to meet our children.  Our beloved Jim and Rita were the first to meet their girl.  (A long and fun story behind the reason we elected for them to be first.  Maybe another time!)

Just Nikki and me left!

As each person/couple was called I felt like the participant on one of those reality shows where someone is voted off the show or chosen as the winner.  Nikki and I were the last two.  Then she was called and there I was waiting while I watched everyone playing with and talking with their children already!

I kinda wanted to hold her hand all day!

But, oh, what a joy awaited me!  I finally got to meet Shnaida.  She is now a beautiful 17 year old.  I started supporting her when she was 6 years old!  There she was in her lovely red t-shirt and denim skirt with her hair braided and piled on her head in an amazing arrangement and gorgeous freckles on her nose.  Her smile melted my heart.

Isn't she lovely?!

She is as shy as I imagined her to be, but friendly and open.  A project worker who knows Shnaida well came with her.  She was also friendly and had a great smile and spirit.

Doing origami together

We sat and chatted for a while, exchanged presents and did some origami.  I had wanted to give her a nice Japanese fan, however, they are very hard to find in the winter, even at the hundred yen store!  But, I did have a bamboo fan kit which could be decorated, so we decorated that together.  I made one side of the big fan for her and she decorated the small one for me.

Our decorated fans

As we played and chatted we talked about many different things, school, family, life.  I encouraged her to be sure to find a husband who loves Jesus.  Because her heart is so kind and beautiful, I know she will be able to do this!  She said that she'd like to find a job where she can help others.

We spent a little time in the pool playing with a beach ball.  It was her first time in a pool.  We didn't swim, just walked in the shallow end and played with some others who were in the pool, too.

Lunch was a little quiet.  We were all focused on eating, processing what had been happening all morning, and maybe our translator was a little tired, too.  After lunch I brought out a few more gifts, including some things others had given me to give to Shnaida.  We tried out the chopsticks without a lot of success!

Quilt from the ladies at West Center!  Don't know if she will
ever need to use it for sleeping...

We finished the day together in prayer.  Shnaida wanted prayer for her family and the project worker for the children at the project.  It was a sweet, holy moment filled with love and joy.

One last selfie

What precious memories!

In the car on the way home.  Wonderful day!

Why?

Last week when I was talking with my parents, they were going through all of the activities they have coming up and mentioned a marriage weekend at their church.  They said they were making a list of reasons why they stay together or something like that.  It was fun to hear them come up with things just off the tops of their heads.  Since they didn't write them down, I am supposing they had to start all over again when they actually did get paper out!

Anyway, it started me thinking about them and their marriage.  As one who is inside the family but not married, I am in a unique place, I think, to make a couple of observations.

Just married (or just engaged, I can't remember which!)

25th anniversary trip to New England

I think the number one reason my parents are together and have a successful, in my opinion, marriage is that Jesus is the center of not only their married life, but also their personal lives.  They are each absolutely committed to Jesus, serving Him, following Him, and learning more about Him daily.  By being personally committed to Jesus, they bring that to every part of their lives.  I believe their marriage is thriving because of their commitment to Jesus.

Lake Michigan

40th anniversary celebration

Another reason their marriage is healthy is that they love to laugh.  They enjoy spending time together, and if laughter is involved, then life is all the more enjoyable!  They know how to laugh at themselves, at each other, and at life.  They are not rude in their laughter by scoffing at the other person.  They truly love a good joke or odd comment.  Many evenings, conversations at the dinner table led to fits of laughter, sometimes the laughter that leads to tears and the inability to breathe because of laughing so hard!

The Christmas we were snowed in at my sister's

Working on okonomiyaki with chopsticks

Preparing for the year of the dragon at IKEA Japan

My parents love and respect each other.  They, of course, each do things that annoys the other person, however, they love the whole person and respect the life God has gifted to them.  They have learned how to communicate their love in a way that respects the other's needs and desires.  And, they are just so darn adorable!

Mini golf

Christmas fun

Having been married 47 years, they have not avoided hardships and heartbreaks.  However, they have taken the time to work through their challenges together, with a commitment to God and each other.  It was not always easy, but it was always worth it.

I am grateful for my parents and the example they have shown me.  I have learned much about love, commitment, and laughter from them!  Thank you, Mom and Dad.

Just in Case...

The big reveal!

Well, my thanksgiving blogs got set aside because of some international travel.  In case you haven't heard, I am enjoying my mom's birthday and American Thanksgiving with my family this year!

My sister and I have had a fun time planning this surprise for months!  I am not sure if my parents were more surprised that I showed up or that my sister kept a secret for that long!  

We have been having a fun time talking and laughing, eating and cooking together.  We are also enjoying the anticipation of a gaggle of relatives showing up tomorrow to join in the festivities.

A few have already arrived...

Dinner time

My background

Today I am thankful for the opportunity I had to grow up in South Dakota.  The small town I grew up in was a great place to grow up!  When we were in elementary school, we rode our bikes to school, to our friends' houses, even downtown.  And, in the summer, we rode them to the swimming pool!  When it was too snowy to ride bikes we walked or our parents drove us.  It never took longer than 7 minutes to get to a friend's house, except the ones who lived out in the country.  When we went to those friends' houses, there was always adventure to be had, in the barn or the shelter belt or the grain wagon.

When I was growing up there were 4 elementary schools in town.  We had the great advantage of very small class sizes!  (Now there is one elementary school and the other schools have been completely re-vamped.  My school is now a church.  Another school is an apartment building.  And the other one is an art studio.  The fourth school is the Catholic school which is still in use!)

My friends and I started babysitting when we were in junior high school- what were those moms thinking?!  I guess since it is such a small town, they figured they or a neighbor could get there to help very quickly.  And, neighbors were always willing to help.

There are two lakes just outside of town where I learned to swim in the seaweed and skip rocks.  Our family spent hours walking or biking around the lake, picnicking, playing whiffle ball, and throwing rocks into the lake.  We even camped a couple of times.  Those were not the best experiences.  Suffice it to say, our family, tents and thunderstorms seem to make it into the same sentence when describing those experiences.

Because our school was small, we all had to participate in as many activities as we could manage so there would be enough people for each team.  I had the privilege to participate in band, basketball, track, declam, and tennis at school.  We were also involved in piano lessons, 4-H, church, and just about anything else we could find to do.

Growing up in a small town gave me the opportunity to have a huge variety of experiences in a low pressure environment which helped me make wise decisions once I left.  I didn't leave because I hated living there; I left because God had other plans for me.  Just because I left definitely does not mean that I am ungrateful or was unhappy!

Thank you, Lord, for Madison, South Dakota!

Seven More Minutes

Chocolate Pie made at
September's baking class
(also made with tofu!)

According to the clock on my computer, I have seven more minutes to write today's post!

Today I am thankful for sweets! I love baking.  Today I baked some cinnamon rolls made with tofu.  They are quite good, I think.

My love of baking started early in life.  My mom used to bake often.  I don't know if she loved it or just did it because we all love sweets, but, anyway, I learned to bake from her.

Growing up in South Dakota, we often had snow days in the winter- days off of school because of snowstorms or blizzards (not the DQ kind!).  Often on those days my sister and I would bake with Mom.  Since Mom was a teacher, she also had the day off!

So, today I am thankful for baking and the memories of family that it stirs up.

A Hundred Times

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life."  Matthew 19:29

When Jesus said this He was talking about the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne.  However, I would say that I have also experienced this in the here and now.

Yesterday was one of those times.

The gospel choir I joined six years ago, Anointed Gospel Choir (AGC), is preparing for a concert next week.  Yesterday during our rehearsal we didn't have time to go through all of the songs, so our director was taking requests.

There is a song in Japanese that I have not quite memorized so I requested it.  About halfway through the song, as the lyrics really started to sink in, my eyes started to overflow.  I did my best to mouth the words of it and the final two songs.

I thought I had pulled myself together.

At the end of rehearsal, I am usually asked to pray.  I thought I would be fine.  But, again, the tears started and I had a hard time speaking.

After choir there were lots of encouraging words and hugs, yes, hugs from my Japanese friends.  These ladies who have become dear friends, not to replace the friends I had in the US before coming, but to be added, shared my worry and hope.

Friday my dad started chemotherapy.  The song we were singing is: 希望の光 (The light of hope)
Being far away at a time like this is a challenge to the heart!  But, I was filled with hope as I sang the song and was reminded of the light of hope God has placed in my heart, and in my dad's heart.

My AGC friends stepped up and filled in the gaps.  Thank you, my dear friends.

希望の光
心も体も疲れて生きる力さえも失った
でも今私の心には確かな希望の光

神様、あなたは耐えられないほどの
試練に合わせることはしない
耐えられるように試練とともに
新たな道も備えてくださるから

神様、私には負いきれないほどの
疲れと重荷があるとしても
あなたは「私を休ませてあげる」と
救いの道を備えてくださるから

Taken from 1 Corinthians 11:13 and Matthew 11:28

Special Day

July 1, 1967

Today, July 1, is a special day in our family.  It is the day my parents said, "I do."  The day they promised to spend the rest of their lives together.  The day our little family took flight.

Forty-seven years.  My parents have had forty-seven years together as a married couple.  They have had many joys, some sorrows, lots of fun, a bunch of challenges.

Through it all, they have always worked it out.  Their commitment to God has helped them through the good times and the hard times.

Even without words, just by watching them, I learned commitment to God is the most important thing in life.  When that is a person's number one priority, the difficulties and the joys can be handled with grace, more grace than a person could muster up on their own.

December 2013

Last year I had the privilege of living with my parents for nine months.  It can be a challenge for parents to allow their very independent daughter to live with them for such a long time, I think!  However, grace abounded.

I loved watching Mom and Dad interact.  They have a way of communicating that most people cannot follow.  Fortunately, my dad usually knows how to finish my mom's sentences because she rarely finishes one!  Thankfully, my mom has a good sense of humor because my dad loves to make dumb jokes.

When two people have been together for so long, they have a life dance with music the rest of us cannot hear.  Even though my dad has absolutely no rhythm, he and my mom dance beautifully.

Their love for each other is absolutely evident and adorable.  Their love for God is strong and pours out of every pore of their being.

I am so thankful for my parents.
Thank you, God!

Benefits of Home Assignment

While I am in the U.S. I miss being in Japan and part of ministry there.  However, I do get to join some events I miss while I am in Japan, like Father's Day.  (I also missed it in the chronology of blogging!)
I loved being with my family for Father's Day-and all of the other holidays this year.  The day before the holiday Dad, Tom and Andrew cut down a tree in the backyard.  Then, on Father's Day, we had a fun time making S'mores.  Flat Coco even liked them!

The hard workers!

Mom and Marietta enjoying the swing.

Abi and Flat Coco enjoying the flowers in the yard.

Front yard

Andrew demonstrates how to eat a s'more

All ready!

Kim gives Flat Coco a taste

Helping Flat Coco roast another marshmallow

Roger is all ready!

Along the Way

I spent over half of June going to and staying in Michigan.  I had a fun drive out to Michigan, stopping along the way to visit friends.
６月に半分以上ミシガン州に行くと泊まることです。行く途中で、友達の家に尋ねました。楽しい旅だった。

Iowa has some cool rest areas!
This one was dedicated to Iowa authors.

Illinois has some nice rest areas, too.
This is the view from...

...here!  Very cool lookout tower.

I went a little out of my way to go to Springfield, IL, where I saw Pres. Lincoln's home.

This is where Abe Lincoln was sitting when the message came  that he had been chosen to run for president.

The front hall where he would have hung his hat.

The 'family' room where Abe played with his boys and his wife sewed.

The bedroom, with a cute little heating stove.

The house as it was probably situated when Abe lived there.

After seeing Lincoln's home, I rushed on to Champaign
where I went to a Sidewalk Prophets concert with Dan and Molly.

A models the Peruvian tablecloth.

Z had a different look.

Coco helped Donna with some electrical work.

This indoor park is inside a church.

Z and his friend with Coco.

Selfie of the girls

Me and my friend-sister

The big kids being blinded by the sun!