Sitting on my couch this morning looking out the window – grey skies, scattered bits of rain, distant thunder – reminded me of another September morning, 8 years ago.
We had been in South Africa for 3 months – still didn’t really know very many people. I had a 4 month old who still didn’t want to sleep through the night. Carl seemed to be doggy paddling through his job – having survived 8 Canadian and American teams in the first 2 months we had been here – now he was trying to figure out the way forward for Seed of Hope.
September hit and so did the grey skies, wind and rain. I remember not seeing the sun for weeks that September – and with a 4 month old, a 2 year old and a 4 year old – no friends, no indoor activity gyms like we have back in Canada… this momma thought she was losing her marbles!
Thanks to a very sweet generous couple who agreed to take our children (breastfeeding baby and all,) Carl and I escaped for 3 hours (the exact amount of time Elise could manage in between feeds.) We didn’t really know where to go, so headed to the closest mall – about half an hour away.
I remember so clearly, walking hand in hand down Pavilion corridors, happy people strolling past us, with crisp, sharp clothes and fancy hair-dos – and Carl and I feeling drenched. Drenched, not by rain, but by depression. We had not gotten caught in the downpour, but were caught in a very serious case of “culture shockitis” and lack of community.
Reminiscing this morning, I felt grateful. Happy to be here. 8 years on. Looking back and seeing how we have grown, been challenged, laughed, loved, experienced God in new ways, traveled, built lasting friendships… This September is so different than that one 8 years ago. But I wouldn’t recognise how sweet this one is, had I not been through that lonely and distressing time of my life.
So bring on the wind and rain, September! I have resources now to deal with you! 😉
Community.
So important.
Don’t underestimate. the power. of.
Community.
Thank you to my real-life community and my world wide web community! Love you all!! This September is going to be great!!!
Awe yes community…. It is wonderful…… But as wonderful as it is there is no way to truly ease those first few months that you described so well. Yay for people who teach our and ease the newbies in. Happy 8 years. We are working on year 5. ; )
5 years already! 🙂 Can’t believe it! Did you have a hard first year?