Depu-what?!

“Home Service” . . . “Deputation” . . . a friend of mine even had a family member who referred to it as “the dog and pony show” . . .

I came across this post today from a CRWRC person, and got a kick out of her idea of calling it “detox”. But I also like the way that she captures the struggles that people who live and work cross-culturally have to define what “home” is.

Our “MK’s in the making” heard a story during orientation called Grandfather’s Journey that I thought captured this ambiguity perfectly. In that faltering way I have when talking to young children about huge theological concepts that I can barely get my mind around myself, I tried to connect this concept of not knowing where “home” is with what the Bible tells us about this world not being our home . . .

I’m not sure I succeeded in communicating this to them, but I do try to console myself (and those whose concept of “home” is even harder to define than mine is) with the fact that our true home will be in heaven.

And although I have no theological training, and therefore don’t have any idea whether this concept of mine is truly biblical, I like to tell myself that heaven will be the place where everything we love about each of our “homes” will always be with us, that our homesickness will be no more.

Until that day, may we all wander well on whatever roads God may lead us down . . .

MK’s in the making!

At our orientation for new missionaries this year, we had a series of sessions for the children of some of our missionaries. One part of this “training” was offered by our Missions Resource Consultant, Bill Thornburg, and his wife Sandy. (Bill and Sandy also lived in Nigeria as missionaries with their own children.)

There was a great deal of fun had by all!

(above and below) dressing in traditional Nigerian garb and playing instruments . . . 

Field trip to the John Ball Park Zoo . . .

Mary S. shows off her face painting

The whole gang–

Standing, from left to right: Bill T., Ellie K, Rebekah VZ, Will VZ, Nick K.

Seated, from left to right: David S, Isaac S, Mary S, and Jamie K.

The zoo was a big hit, but the water balloons even more so!