We are here in the US and have been so busy since we hit the ground! It was a 32 hour journey that was thankfully uneventful. One of my face book friends commented after her travel to the US that, "I arrived last week and my brain showed up today! I wonder how much the airline charges for a brain!" Boy, I sure can relate to that one!
Sallie and I traveled to Chicago last week end with another mom and daughter to visit the American Girl Place and see the Chicago sites. It was a great trip after a rocky start of missing our train. The girls had a wonderful time, spent all of their money and got to ride the subway. Here are a few pictures:
Sallie adding up her purchases at AG
Sallie dissecting a cow's eye at the Museum of Science and Industry
On a comfy bench in the park
the Ferris wheel at the Navy Pier
Char and Callie on the wheel
the skyline = beautiful
the girls at the museum - notice the shadows collecting the balls
We were also able to catch up with some other friends from Kijabe that live in Chicago. It was wonderful to see the Clauds again. They commented that coming back to Chicago after 6 months away was almost like it never happened and was just a dream. After being here for just 2 weeks I can really understand that. It seems like we just jump right back into life and Africa is so distant, which shows how hard it is for people that have never been there to connect with the needs that exist there. And of those there are so many.
We have had a great and relaxing week here in Evart (up by our Reed City house and with our sending church). The church set us up with an online sign up for dinners all this week. It has been wonderful. We have been able to sit with families and actually have conversations! Thanks Jenny - you are amazing!
We visited our home in Reed City yesterday. It was kind of surreal to stand in my kitchen and visit with my pizza oven. The kids enjoyed seeing their old rooms. We had lunch with our neighbors, Sue and Gordon. They are wonderful people and we miss them. Here are a few pictures I took out there:
Timothy and Sallie had to get in the hot tub!
Miss Sue
Sue and Gordon's pond - beautiful
Sallie - what is she up to?
Trevor is thinking
She had beautiful lilies everywhere
The kids went to camp this week out at Springhill. They had a great time and came back to us on Friday completely dirty and exhausted (as it should be)! I don't have many pictures but here is Sallie getting the "Thankfulness" award.
We are presenting at our church tomorrow. Timothy has lost his voice somewhere at camp, so I am worried that he won't be able to sing with me! Our presentation is going to be mostly about the hospital and its mission. It is so hard when living here in the states to connect with what it is like in a country like Kenya. I wrote several blogs ago about "Who is your neighbor." It is very hard to see the single mother of 2 with no job or skill or hope that worries about where her families' next meal is coming from and can't get money to buy tuition for her kids' education nor their shoes for school as our neighbor. But she is! We just need to find a way to connect with her and have a relationship. How do you do that?
We love being here for a bit, but is really shows us that home is where God has put us (wherever that is). We can be at home at my in laws place, some friend's basement, Kijabe or Reed City. I am grateful that my kids are good with that. It is a challenge living with 5 people out of suitcases and remembering where you put everything - especially at my age!
Please pray for us in our travels and please pray that we will be able to present to our church tomorrow and other churches in the coming weeks about the people of Kenya and help to make a little bit of a connection.
In His Hands,
Jullie T.
Visiting with good friends
PS - I should be able to post at least every other week while here in the states. Sorry I won't be as consistent as every Saturday. But, life here is anything but consistent at the moment!
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