November 12, 2008
Dear Friends and Family,
"OK, Zach. Now we need to go stand in that line over there." We were in the airport just starting our trip back to the U.S.
"Why Mommy?" I have learned to consider my answers to Zach carefully. If I told him specifically what this line was for, then I would spend the next several hours trying to explain each and every new line we went to. I settled for something more general. "Well, Zach, that's just what you do in an airport. You stand in line. That's what you have to do to get on the plane."
And so Zach began to understand that it is worth the wait when we are waiting to achieve a greater purpose…
And now his Mommy and Daddy work to remember the same lesson…
WAITING FOR HEALTH
Zach finished a course of medicine for stomach parasites while we were on the plane to the US, so he arrived amazingly healthy-- no flu, no fever, and all parasites knocked out of his system. Micah was still battling his parasites, however, and it took about two weeks for his little stomach to get back to normal. We are so thankful to be able to spend the rest of his crawling days here in the US, where parasites are so much more rare.
Our first appointment with the boys' pediatrician was two days after our arrival. She confirmed that Zach's hernia requires an operation and reassured us that it should no problem to get it done before Christmas, but despite lots of phone calls on our part, we are still waiting for the surgeon to schedule Zach's preliminary visit. We will call again this afternoon. Please keep praying that it will all come together in God's perfect timing.
Meanwhile, Jesse and I have spent lots of time waiting at doctor's offices getting our own health problems taken care of. Jesse and I were so distracted with work and taking care of the boys that we hadn't really taken care of ourselves well. Jesse is now on a month of antibiotic for a chronic infection and is hoping to feel a lot more energetic soon. I was able to have a specialist evaluate a small tumor that has been growing in what I now know is my parotid gland. After a few tense days of waiting for the biopsy I am happy to report that it is not cancerous, but the doctor says it is the kind of tumor that will continue to grow and cause me lots of problems, so it needs to come out. It will be a three-hour surgery with a two-week recovery time. This leaves Jesse and I waiting on the Lord as we face yet another big medical expense and another big decision about timing. We are thankful the Lord brought us back so that we could get it taken care of, though.
ON THE WAITING LIST
Praise the Lord for giving us the idea of starting a preschool, helping to make it happen even in the midst of our recent medical crises, and providing the technology and trustworthy people that enable us to keep it going long-distance. Every week I write the lesson plans in English. Jesse translates them into French, and we sent them off to Burundi by email. Then, on weekday mornings while we sleep (1 to 4:30am EST is 8-11:30 Burundi time), 86 three and four year olds and seven teachers are working to make the plans a reality.
The new Discovery School is succeeding on all fronts. It is helping to reach families with the gospel, providing a small source of income for the local churches (under whose auspices it is operating), providing jobs, and raising the level of education available at a reasonable price ($14 a month). It is the only preschool on the northern edge of the capital that teaches English as well as French and that has any sort of materials really. As one parent told me after an informatory meeting, "I am so thankful for your school! My husband is Burundian, but I am Kenyan and really wanted our son to learn English. We checked into other private western-style preschools around town, but they were so far away and so expensive ($100 a month). We decided they were beyond our means. Your school is an answer to our prayers." There are already 23 children on the waiting list for next year!
WAITING IN JAIL
Two weeks ago the film team had its first prison experience. On Friday they arrived at a host church in a rural area and set things up for the film. They were disappointed to have only about 500 people in attendance-- crowds at film showings usually number over 2000-- but they pressed on. As the films ended, however, the local governor, who was drunk, arrived on the scene. He claimed that they did not have official permission for such a big gathering and had them thrown in jail. They were released the next morning after the governor sobered up and realized that he had granted the necessary permission weeks ahead of time. Meanwhile, the story of the jailed evangelists had traveled around the countryside, and over 3,000 people turned out for the second night of gospel films just to catch sight of them! God certainly used that wait for his glory!
WAITING ON THE LORD
We are still unsure how long we need to stay in the US before heading back to Burundi and are praying and trusting that, as he has done before, the Lord to show us clearly what is next. Please continue to uphold us as we wait.
Wait on the Lord: Be strong and take heart, and wait on the Lord.
Psalm 27:14
Thanks,
Jesse, Joy, Zach, and Micah Johnson
