You know those memories your mind stores in pictures? The one that's been coming back to me lately is an image of a wall in someone's house--- a wall with five clocks. They have four children who are all missionaries in different parts of the world, and they have one clock set to each child's time zone. Lately I've been going a little crazy—feeling like there are two time zone clocks in my head as we prepare to come home and I work to keep track of what's happening in the states and what's going on here in Burundi.
We're going to the states--What new faces will we see at church when we get home? What exit off the interstate do you take to get to that place again? Knock at the door, interrupting my train of thought. Back toBurundi. Oh wow. Your roof came off in the storm last night? How can I help? Oh, Jesse, we need to make sure to leave the money with the clinic's accountant so the people on the film team can get it out when they need it. Etcetera, etcetera…
Whew! I have always been amazed whenever I stop for a minute (on whatever clock I'm on) and thnk about all the lives that are going on at the same time all around the world. I'm so thankfull that God can keep them all straight without feeling like he's going crazy!
We leave for the states tomorrow (Wednesday, January 17) at 12:30 pm Burundi time. We arrive in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday at 2pm East Coast time after 32 hours of travel. God has blessed us with some relatives near Atlanta, who wrote without any hints from us to say that they had been putting themselves "into our timezone" for a minute and realized we would need a car when we got home. My parents have arranged to drive down to meet us in Atlanta, bringing a car seat (isn't it amazing to think of all the details that have to be worked out?) We will stay in the area for a few days until we are over jet lag enough to safely drive home, then pick up the car and head back to South Carolina on Monday, January 22.
The same retired missionaries who have the clocks on their wall have offered to let us rent their basement missionary apartment in Rock Hill—none of their kids come home on furlough until August—I can see God at work there!!
Our efforts to live in two time zones will not stop when we get settled in the apartment, though. We plan to continue to be very busily involved in the ministry here even while we are at home. Here are some of our hopes for this time in the states:
- Get Zach better—His first appointment is on Jan. 24. He has not had parasites or malaria this month but continues to have diahrrea- confirmation that there is something else wrong that needs to be addressed.
- Work on some projects that are difficult to complete while in Burundi because of the number of interruptions—Just for starters, Jesse has brought lots of films to edit, information on the churches accounting so we can transfer it to Excell, lists of Bible School courses to do a comprehensive curriculum review, and his own course material to revise and put into printable notes.
- Communicate weekly by email with the leaders of the Burundian church to keep up to date on the film ministry and guidance committee decisions
- Share what God is doing in Burundi—we plan to begin travelling to visit churces in March. If Zach is doing well we will all go, if not Jesse will head out on his own.
- Collect materials for the Sunday school work here, buy some new films, get needed technology, etc…
- Find time for a little rest
Thanks to all of you who take the time to think about other time zones once in a while and to become invovled in what is happening there. I know God will bless you for this effort to think like He does, and I know we appreciate the emails, prayers, and practical help more than we can ever say. Love you, Joy
