A Full Heart

Posted by Megan

We are down to hours. It is difficult to think that we only have a matter of hours left here in Georgia, but it is true. The day has come. My heart is full of so many memories from the past 2 years, plus the previous 2 years that I lived here. We are incredibly blessed by all those who have expressed such kind words of love and appreciation, of thankfulness for our time and investment, of joy that they met us, and of sadness that we are leaving. We have been prayed over by the street kids, the bishop of the Pentecostal church, and everyone in between. Each one was as moving, heartfelt, and humbling as the other. And we are thankful…thankful in a million ways.

 

In 2005 when I first told one particular person about coming to Georgia, their response was that I could not do it because I would get too attached. In the moment, I knew there was some truth in the fact that I would probably get attached. I also knew that they were speaking from a prior experience of seeing my attachment to and the emotions I felt after my first overseas experience in Africa. However, it gave me no fear in going forward and giving it my all.

 

When I completed my first 2-year assignment, I fell apart. My emotions took over. I did not want to leave. But by the grace of God and the help of several dear friends, I managed to get on the plane and move forward with life (but it was incredibly painful and it took a long time). Now here I am again in the same situation of leaving Georgia. Again by the grace of God, He has carried me and helped me prepare for this departure later today (and I know He will sustain me in the days and months of transition ahead). It has been painful yet again…perhaps a deeper pain than last time because the investment and time has substantially increased. However, my emotions have had less control this time, and I have not completely fallen apart. Over the past several months of preparing myself for this day, I have often thought about what that person said to me 7 years ago. And my conclusion has been that

 

the JOY of having been here

and the LOVE that has been exchanged between me and the people I have met here

FAR OUTWEIGHS the pain of letting go and moving into a new season.

 

If I had never come…if I had been too afraid…if I had not invested all that I could and left the rest in God’s hands…then I would never know this JOY. The temporary season of pain is simply temporary. The relationships, the memories, and the JOY that comes with those will stay with me. Yes, I got attached in so many ways, but my heart is full because I did.

A New Place to Call Home

Posted by Wade

 

Over the past several weeks and months we have been praying about, thinking about, talking about, discussing, weighing options, and interviewing for a new job once we return to America. We prayed that God would provide for us financially, but more importantly would provide a place for us to live that would be conducive to a lifestyle for His glory and for the benefit of our marriage and family.

 

The world tells us to get the job where we can move up the fastest, have the biggest salary, and most benefits. I’ll admit that up until about six or seven years ago that is exactly how I thought. I wanted to make big money, buy expensive things, and go on great vacations. Having a bigger salary also allows you to get more debt and possibly start worshiping it which can be a potential issue for me. While I never really was in over my head in debt, I know there were times when I would have done things differently if I didn’t have a debt load.

 

I noticed as my relationship with Christ grew, my priorities in life changed. I lost the desire to keep up with the world and wanted more out of life than having a bigger balance sheet. However, those “wants” are always a temptation and always have a way to creep into our lives through the cracks. Believe me, I need Jesus to fill those cracks daily sometimes!

 

With that said, as we were praying about our future after we return to America, we wanted the most important thing to be about those priorities that are opposite of the world. God provided us with three wonderful opportunities all of which had benefits. All had different benefits, but each benefit (in our eyes) was tied to a priority in life which was either worldly or Godly. It is so hard, even though we know this, to not take the worldly benefits. I found myself already thinking about what could be bought or what a comfort it would be to have this or that.

 

So the most important benefits for our lives included having a job within a short distance from home (so that we could see each other more frequently to provide a stronger marriage and relationship), being close to family (to provide support to each other), to have opportunities in the future to go on mission trips (to tell others about Jesus), and to be able to work in a place where integrity and hard work would be rewarded.

 

While the other two opportunities we had provided many of these benefits that were important to us, only one could provide them all. We are super excited to live in Chanute, Kansas, where we will be able to live close to work, be close to Megan’s parents, and work for a man who loves missions and has the highest level of integrity. I look forward to being the next employee of Charles R. Sharp, CPA, LLC!

Wade with Rick along the Georgia and Azerbaijan border

(Rick and his wife visited us here in Georgia in October 2011)

 

We have 2 more weeks in Georgia, then we will be working on reconnecting with family and friends in America while trying to get somewhat settled in Chanute. We hope to do as much as possible before I officially start my new job in November. We appreciate all the prayers of those who knew we were looking for the next step. We hope you will continue to pray for us as we finish out these 2 weeks and find our way back into American life. We would also appreciate your prayers for Megan to find a job once we are a bit settled in Chanute.

Gold for Georgia

Due to our lack of internet, television, etc, we hardly know the biggest world sporting events are going on right now. We both love to watch the Olympics and miss that we haven’t been able to watch them. We are pretty cut off from what is happening, but we did hear about a big win for Georgia. There are only a few people on Georgia’s Olympic team so this is a huge deal. You can read about the big win here. Go Team Georgia!

FYI - Sorry our news is a little late…the lack of internet and some guests in our home prevented posting these stories earlier.

Storm in East Georgia

We are well settled into our “summer” home in Telavi, Georgia. We moved about 2 hours east of Tbilisi and are enjoying this new place for July and August. It has been a refreshing change from the busy pace of the capital city. Things changed a bit though in the early morning hours of July 19th at about 4 am. We were awakened to pounding rain and hail and intense winds. They were so intense that we have reason to believe it was a tornado or something very close to it. It was a bit scary. The storm subsided for a short time, and we stepped outside to check things out. It was still too dark to see much, but some neighbors were saying something about the trees. We also pulled out every extra towel we could find to clean up water that had come through all the windows and one light fixture. We went back to sleep and the rain came again. We woke up later as the sun was rising. We looked out the window to find broken trees all around us. As it turned out, our only damage was the water coming in through the windows, some hail damage to the side of the house, and a cracked side mirror on the car. Others around us were less fortunate. One neighbor had large trees fall on his car and smashed it. One had trees fall on their house. Several others had large trees lying all over their yards. Nearly everyone’s fruit trees, gardens, and vineyards were destroyed. Some grape vines were stripped bare without a single leaf or grape left. What fruit and vegetables were left on plants were damaged by the hail. Many also had serious damage to roofs and windows, which in turn resulted in major water damage inside of houses. The damage seems to have extended from Telavi to about 20-25 kilometers east of here.

The area has been flooded with help from military men, city street cleaners from Tbilisi, and other aid workers helping with cleanup and repair work. The president of Georgia has visited the area a few times. The government has given out food to local people and is providing other assistance, like new roofs.

Our days that were so filled with peaceful silence are now filled with the sounds of chainsaws and hammers from sun up to sun down. We were without gas (which we use for stove top cooking ) for 2 days, electricity for 9 days, and the water has been off from time to time. We are also now 14 days without a landline phone and internet. It has been like camping in our own home…cold showers, limited cooking and no baking, no refrigeration, going to bed when the sun goes down, and such. In the past year, USAID opened a center for development in Telavi. One of our neighbors is the director there and told us we were welcome any time to come for internet access and charging our electronics. It has kept us somewhat connected to the outside world, and we are quite thankful for this outlet.

Despite the damage and limitations, we are first thankful for God’s protection during the storm. We also are still quite thankful to be here in Telavi. It has been refreshing for us! It also has brought some lessons and perspectives on life with less, and we have been perfectly fine.

Here a few news articles about the storm: click here and here. Much of the repair work and cleanup has been taken care of, but there is still more work to be done. We are thankful too that the weather has been rain free so the work can continue and homes are not damaged even more. Please keep these people in your prayers.

Shatili

Georgia is full of history and ancient sites, most of which are hidden in places that are difficult to reach. We finally made it to another one of those places that has been attempted a few times before but never came through for us. This past weekend we traveled about 100 miles north of Tbilisi in 6 hours…yes, really! We actually don’t know the exact time due to various stops, but this is our best guess at approximating the travel time without all the stops. Our destination was Shatili which is just a few miles from the border with Russia (see the little towers at the top and center of the map). We camped by the river underneath this fortress and visited a couple other nearby sites too.

The main historical sites we visited were:

• Shatili - Shatili is about 4,600 feet above sea level. It is a popular site in the high mountain region of Khevsureti. The village consists of about 60 towers built all together as a fortress. It dates from the 14th-15th century.
 
• Anatori (slightly north of Shatili but not on map) - Nearly every person from the village of Anatori died during the time of the Black Death in Europre (mid-1300’s). According to old tradition, other people later went to this place when they found out they were ill and waited there until they died.

• Mutso (just south of Shatili) - Mutso is another medieval village that was quite powerful in the middle ages. It was conquered and demolished by Russian soldiers in 1813.

Our trip was combined with the visit of friends from abroad. One couple, Katy and Paul, is from Great Britain. Katy lived in Georgia when Megan first came in 2006. She and her husband intend to move back in the next year or so. Their visit included connecting with old friends and making plans for the future. Robyn is another friend from America. She also lived in Georgia for a few months in 2008. Her time in 2008 and current visit are related to political research. We joined up with these friends and a few Georgian friends for yet another beautiful excursion!

Read Between the Lines

Posted by Megan

As mentioned in the last post, my grandmother, Virginia Madison Potocnik (my paternal grandmother), died on June 17th. She was 85 years old, just like my other grandmother who died almost 4 years ago (see my tribute to her here).  When I first read her obituary, I was filled with all the memories of what lies between the lines of the little summary of her life. It is like the dash in between the day we each arrived on this earth and the day we will leave (or have already left). My grandma’s is 1927 – 2012. There is so much packed into those 85 years, yet I only know a small percentage of them. Much of what I know will slowly fade and be forgotten, but there are some memories I will hold closely.

It is interesting to me that I am writing this tribute in a place that reminds me more of her than anywhere else besides her own home. Earlier this week, we moved to a city called Telavi. It is about 2 hours from the capital city of Tbilisi. Our colleagues will be moving here in September and already found a house to rent. We are staying in their soon-to-be new home for July and August. It is nestled in a quiet place on the edge of town. It is up the mountain just enough to keep the temperatures a little cooler. There is a mini forest right by the house and a nice road for walking through the forest. The roosters crow regularly throughout the day. The house is rather spacious and void of much furniture. There is something about the quiet, the peacefulness, the simplicity, the beds, the curtains, the atmosphere that remind me of my grandma’s home. It has been almost 3 years since I really spent time at her home, but it is a place I remember well. After she died, I looked at the house listing on the internet (it has been on the market for awhile) just to see some pictures of her place. I am glad that the place we are living right now reminds me of such a special place from my past. The only thing we need is a swing in the back yard to sit and enjoy the quiet, peaceful evenings and to eat ice cream bars from the well-stocked freezer just like at grandma’s house.

This house takes my memories back to the place where she cooked pot after pot of homemade noodles. I’ve never had any like them elsewhere (except for when my mother makes them…grandma taught her well!). I tried to make them once and completely failed. I hope to try again with some assistance from my mother next time. You just can’t understand how delicious they are! We used to tease grandma when she would come to holiday gatherings at my parent’s house that she wasn’t allowed in the door unless she had her noodles. She never forgot them!

While on the topic of food, I also associate Chicken Annie’s Fried Chicken with grandma. It was always when we were with grandma that we ate it. It was a family favorite! I especially remember the joy I had of eating it with her while I was in college. I had to drive by her town when travelling between my parent’s house and college. Grandma and I often met to eat Chicken Annie’s together. And we always timed it so we would get there near the time they opened to get the fresh chicken. It was also in places like this restaurant where my father and grandma fought over who got to pay for the family’s meal. Totally embarrassing, especially during the teenage years, yet always fun to laugh about it. I like to laugh about the waitresses who never knew who to take money from for the bill. Grandma was feisty. Dad tried to be nice and pay, but most of the time she had her mind made up about paying and you had to get out of her way and let her do it.

She was also very independent. My grandfather died almost 16 years ago, and she has been living on her own until the past 2 years. She did it all! And she was always caring for and serving other people on top of caring for her own family and home. She worked for 40 years as a cook at the local elementary school. If I remember right, the kids there knew about her homemade noodles too because I think she and the other cooks made them sometimes for the kids. She often volunteered at her church and was eager to help anyone out.

Grandma lived in a very small town, but she could have started her own movie rental business for the locals. She was well-stocked on movies and always willing to lend them out (but not without a fancy gold “Virginia Potocnik” label…I am always a fan of labels and organization!).

When I graduated from high school, my oldest brother’s gift to me was to go skydiving (crazy, huh!?!?...totally loved it though!!!!!!). We made a family outing out of the all day event. I jumped, along with my 2 brothers and 3 other friends/family, and my parents, 8-month pregnant sister-in-law, and my grandma were our “fans.” After grandma watched a few jumps, she really wanted to go too. She was about 71 at the time. If we wouldn’t have told her no, she might have just gone and done it! Had she been more physically up to it, I think she would have really done it, and we wouldn’t have been able to stop her.

Grandma Potocnik was the last of my grandparents to pass from this life. I guess that is part of the reason this one has been more difficult to process and let go. I knew when we left almost 2 years ago to come to Georgia that I might not see her again. However, God blessed me with the chance to see her back at Christmas and again in June. I visited her just 5 days before she passed away. She was in good spirits that day and although she has been losing her memory for awhile, she definitely knew who I was. She didn’t forget her “sweetheart” grand-daughter. She died peacefully. God is gracious. She truly was a precious lady whom I am proud to call MY GRANDMA! I will miss her but am grateful for the time I have had with her on this earth. We will meet again one day in heaven! And when we are back in America this fall, I will wrap up in one of her beautifully hand-made quilts and remember her again and again until that day.

Post Upon Post

Posted by Megan

The past month has been a whirlwind of emotions. This is the primary reason for wanting to write so many blog posts yet not finding the energy to process all the emotions. As you can see from the mix of stories today, there were some high highs and low lows. Although many of these feelings are part of normal life, ours are compounded with all that goes with living in a culture not our own. I didn’t fully realize until yesterday that the adjustment back into one’s “home” culture is longer than the adjustment to a new culture. I guess that sheds a little more light on the year 2008+ for me (when I moved back to America, got married, and experienced dozens of other life changes). Thus, this means we are only in the beginning of the adjustments we face as we prepare to move back to America in September. It begins with the good-byes which have begun already. It is a unique situation in that only those who have been through it fully understand it. But an extra prayer or two specifically for the issue would be much appreciated even if you have no idea what I am talking about. You can start praying now and keep praying it for the next 1-2 years (not kidding!). So after you say a little prayer for us, you can read up on what’s been happening this month.

English Parties - Parties are fun…don’t get us wrong, but when it means the last of many good times…well, they aren’t as much fun. At the end of May, we wrapped up our English classes in Tbilisi and Gardabani. We miss all those kids! We missed them so much we already had a small get together with the ones in Tbilisi last weekend and visited the church in Gardabani so that we could see some of the kids. They are all special kids and young adults, and we grew to love them more than we ever imagined when we decided to teach English last fall. Trust us…it’s not our “gifting” and not our favorite thing to do, but the relationships we built with the students was more joyous than we ever imagined. We have so many special memories with them! The Tbilisi students put together a photo book with pictures and letters from all the students. We are really going to treasure that gift for years to come!

America - Immediately after wrapping up English classes and some other activities, I (Megan) was on a plane headed for America while Wade held down the fort in Georgia. It was Wade’s first time to be in Georgia without me, but he handled it just fine. I was able to go back for a very dear friend’s wedding in Ohio. I spent a week with Kimberly helping her prepare for her big day. I spent the rest of my time visiting my family and a few other friends. The most special time was the day I was able to visit my Grandma Potocnik (my father’s mother). She was ill with an infection and in the hospital most of the previous month. It was truly a gift from God that I was in America at that time because my Grandma died just 6 days after I visited her and only 2 days after I arrived back in Georgia.

Grandma - The passing of my Grandma is sandwiched in with all these other posts, but I don’t mean to diminish her importance to me. There is something about the fact that I could not be present for her funeral that made it difficult for me to find it in myself to write a post about her immediately after she died. I wanted to, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. It was the biggest gift God could have given me that I got to be with her one last time before she died. That is more important to me than having been at her funeral. However, it was strange to process it from here and not with my family. Wade was a good support through it all, and I was able to talk to my parents a few times that week. I will write a separate post as a tribute to her.

Anniversary - In happier news, Wade and I celebrated our 4th anniversary this month! We enjoyed a lovely evening at an outdoor Georgian restaurant. It was the perfect temperature and atmosphere surrounded by the trees. Dinner was delicious too! We came back to our apartment for some brownies (with Reese’s Peanut Butter chips…a special find in America) and ice cream. It all made for a lovely evening together!

Street Kids Ministry - It’s that time of year when the street kids’ center closes for the summer, which meant some tearful good-byes to our dear little friends and partners in ministry. We were completely humbled as the kids circled around us and prayed for us. Wow…it was a moment that we will hold dear to us! The others who help at the center gave us a book about Georgia and wrote special notes to us as well. We feel quite loved!

Moving - We are packing up already! Our activities in Tbilisi have wrapped up, and we are moving to a new location for July and August. We will be in the city of Telavi (where we helped with children’s church back in April). We are really looking forward to all that God has in store for us there.

Tour de Georgia

Our first two weeks of May were filled with another tour around the country of Georgia. We didn’t’ really see everything, but we crammed as much as possible into 12 days, including a couple days in Armenia. This tour was for our special visitors Gregg and Jason, Megan’s two brothers. It was fun to show Megan’s parents around Georgia last summer and now to show her brothers too was more than we ever expected that we would get to do. Georgia is a place near and dear to both of us, so experiencing it with family from America was a special treat. Interestingly, the best part about their trip was one of our weekly activities. They were here for one English class in Gardabani and 2 in Tbilisi. The class in Gardabani turned into a mini concert. The kids sang a few songs in Georgian and Russian, and Jason played the guitar and sang a song in English for them. During our classes in Tbilisi, we split the students into 2 groups and had conversation time with Gregg and Jason. The students really loved the discussions, learning about American culture, and telling Gregg and Jason about their own Georgian culture. They enjoyed it so much that they wanted to spend more time together outside of class. Thus, they planned an outing to one of the student’s villages, and we had a Georgian supra. It was a true highlight for all of us!

Here’s a random list of many of the places and experiences Gregg and Jason had in Georgia: sightseeing around Old Tbilisi, first graduation of Georgia’s Teen Challenge ministry, funeral for a baby of some American friends, hiking trip that resulted in all of us being soaked by the rain, village church service in Sachkhere, lots of mountain views (when they were not hidden by the clouds), white water rafting trip for Jason and Wade, Stalin museum tour for Gregg and Megan, photo session with random guy named Michael (who never sent us our pictures), street kids’ ministry, exploring the Vardzia cave city, Georgian dancing, “Georgia’s Got Talent”, several games of Catan, crossing borders to visit Yerevan, Armenia, and eating lots of Georgian food, including many bottles of tarragon limonati to go with it!

We are so glad to have shared Georgia with them!

"Parhelpers"

Posted by Wade

As I was walking down the street last week, I was thinking about the "parhelpers" (I made up this word). These are people who "help" you park your car and "help" you back out into the busy streets of Tbilisi. I have to say that I find myself more amused at them than I expect help from them. Most of the time their definition of "help" is running up to your car window after you have already risked your life backing out into traffic by yourself. This is the point where they stick out their hand expecting the customary 50 tetri (which is about 30 cents).

Several months ago, it was reported on the news that there is no obligation to pay these people, but may at your choosing. The government has taken over this business by requiring an annual parking permit to have the privilege of parking in the dotted white lines. So, now you pay for the permit and then you usually feel sorry for the people standing out there all day and pay them too.

So my Americanism comes out when these guys don't do anything and then expect payment anyway. Or is that Americanism anymore (yes, that is another topic).

Anyway, I say all that with a grin because in everything there can be good and bad. Those guys who don’t really work do not impress me, but there have been a few amazing “parhelpers” that we have been able to converse with or observe.

One man named Vaja, who works at the bazroba, is a wonderful man. Several times we have parked in "his" area when we have to go to the market and stock up on flour, sugar, etc. Every time we park near him, he is excited to see us and always does a great job helping us. So, we try to pay him (and pay him extra even). He usually won't even take our money and then he makes us wait. Why? Well, he insists on running to the store to buy us a chocolate bar! We absolutely do not expect this from the “parhelpers,” but this guy is really nice. One day when it was very hot out, we stopped by a store and bought Vaja water. He was super thankful when we gave it to him. When we have guests he treats us extra special and buys them really nice chocolates. We love Vaja, and he even gave us his phone number so we could call ahead for him to reserve us a parking spot!

With our friend Vaja last fall

Another man who is a “parhelper” close to where we live is always enjoying the little kids. He plays with them, talks to them, and you can tell that he really loves them. He is always smiling. However, I have yet to see him actually performing his duties as a “parhelper.”

One man in Old Tbilisi actually stands behind your car while you are backing out and stops traffic for you. This is my definition of what a typical “parhelper” should do. He cares about us and doesn’t want us to get hit. He smiles and talks to us. He lets you put out the money first before sticking his hand out. This guy is a true “parhelper.”

So, thanks to the hard-working “parhelpers.” You are a joy. We are thankful for you. We hope the others learn from you.

Winter Warmth Update

Winter??? It’s spring already! Well yes, technically, it is spring, but it still feels like winter. Warmer days are ahead…hopefully sooner rather than later. We just wanted to follow up our last newsletter with pictures and an update about the warmth the street kids were blessed with this winter.

We already informed you that several of the kids received fleece sweatshirts and hats, and that one friend had knit hats and other friends had donated money to buy shoes for them. Additional donations were later received from some kids in America so that we could buy gloves. In all, we are able to give almost 50 kids a knit hat and new shoes and new gloves. It was fun blessing these kids with so many gifts this winter! They were quite needed this year with colder temperatures and more snow than usual in Tbilisi.

Last week, they were again blessed with more gifts. We had Christmas in March! Who doesn’t love that! Ever heard of Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child gift program? If not, we talked about it back in December (click here for more info). We were hopeful that these kids would get the boxes again this year, and thankfully, they did. Typically, the boxes don’t seem to arrive in Georgia until February anyway, but the contact who helped get these boxes for the kids was sick so the kids didn’t get them until March this year. Doesn’t matter…the kids are happy to get them anytime!

So a big THANK YOU to all who gave to make these gifts possible! This includes those who gave through Samaritan’s Purse. It doesn’t matter if your box came here or somewhere else, we are certain every child who got one was thrilled to receive it!

“Truly, I tell you,

whatever you did

for one of the least of these

brothers and sisters of mine,

you did for me.”

Matthew 25:40

This is LOVE

They are LOVED

We are all LOVED

For the Ladies

Posted by Megan

Happy Women’s Day

to my female friends and family!

Did you even know about this day? If you are American, I will venture to guess that most of you didn’t know about it. I never was aware of such a day before first coming to Georgia. It’s an official holiday here and also in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. In the United States, the month of March is “Women’s History Month,” but I have to admit…I never knew that before researching information about International Women’s Day. And, therefore, that means it is not a big deal in America. But we Americans certainly go all out for Mother’s Day every May, and many try to be all inclusive by honoring women in general on that day. However, for someone who is not a mother, it kind of feels like a stretch when the day is really for mothers. I’m all for honoring my mother and all mothers, and they can have their own special day.

But today is for women…just women…ALL women.

So today I honor you and want you to know how valued you are! Embrace the fact that you are a fantastic part of this world and in particular, my life. I am especially grateful for all the women that have crossed my path. You may have come as a family member, a friend, a classmate, a co-worker, a teacher, a mentor, or even just an acquaintance through mutual friends or interest groups. Regardless, you’ve made an impact on my life, and I am thankful for your influence.

We certainly have great power to influence one another for the positive and, sadly, the negative. Today pursue the positive and strive for this the other days of the year too. In our February 27, 2012 post, we included Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. There is a time and season for everything in this life…weeping and laughing, mourning and dancing, and everything else that life brings. All of these life seasons are far better or far less burdening, when we stand by each other and walk through them together instead of against one another. May we mourn with one another when necessary and rejoice together when appropriate.

Now…go enjoy your day ladies and know that you are loved, and we are in this life together!

Some flowers I received today from our English students, and now I share them with you.

For some history on International Women’s Day and a short video about the day in Russia (and the former Soviet Union…including Georgia), click here.

Random Thoughts

Posted by Wade

During the past year-and-a-half, I’ve learned a lot about myself. It is interesting how a small-town boy from Missouri can be interested in learning another language, can get to know people he has nothing in common with in a completely different culture, and struggle with people who just can’t drive normally (at least from my point-of-view)!

Before we arrived in Georgia, I had heard about people struggling with this or that. Many people can have a hard time adjusting. Many people just can’t handle it. I can see why; sometimes it is very frustrating. I think if I would have moved to Georgia (or another very different place) before I was 30, I would have had a hard time. God provided me with many trials that really made me think differently. I remember thinking many things were a “big deal” before. Sure, I’m still a little spoiled and like to have it my way sometimes (ask Megan), but I am surprised at how many things are now not a big deal. For example, kids with runny noses and dirty hands kissing me on the cheek isn’t a big deal now. That happens on a weekly basis. That used to gross me out. Now, I’m much less worried about little things. I’ve moved a bit toward the phlegmatic/melancholic temperaments!

I’ve learned that everything will work out. I know that some bad things are going to happen, but with God, everything will be ok. There will be some tough times. God will help us with those. I’m thankful for knowing that. If you don’t, I recommend learning more about it!

In Missouri, we are called the “Show-Me-State”. It is interesting that I learn that way (and try to teach my English students that way). Sometimes I can’t really get my arms around something unless I see it or experience it. In teaching, I try to act out words you can’t really act out. However, we laugh at the effort. The other day, I laid on a table during class to demonstrate hospital words. It was quite entertaining for everyone!

Why doesn’t everyone look when they get ready to drive into the street or out of a parking space? It seems to me this is logical. We are taught to look/yield/drive defensively in Missouri. Here, my biggest frustration is the daily close-calls. I’ve never honked my horn so much (Megan thinks I need to honk it more). We’ve been hit two or three times by other people. I’m amazed by how frustrated I get at these crazy drivers. When people go into the oncoming traffic’s lane just to get to the front of the line, I almost lose it. That to me is just ridiculous. It happens all the time here. Rarely, someone gets pulled over…another frustration.

So, I’ve learned a few good things about myself and a few things I need to work on. I’m thankful for the lessons I’ve learned that prepare me for what is in store in the future. I’m thankful for the continued refining. God, please help me with these Georgian drivers.

Death

It came knocking again…at another neighbor’s apartment. It is the third one of our neighbors to die in the past year. We were alerted to this death by the masses of cars and people appearing in our alley. It is customary in this culture to keep the body in the home. The body is embalmed and placed in a small wooden casket, then placed in a main room of the house. The family is present and friends and neighbors come and walk a circle around the casket, greeting the family as they walk. Whenever guests are paying their respects, there is constant wailing going on. It is slightly overwhelming at times.

The most recent death this week was an elderly gentleman. He lived in the next building entrance over from ours. We did not know him. A couple days after we first noticed the large number of people, we again saw the alley filled with people. This time the hearse was present and piled high with flowers. It was the funeral day. We just caught sight of the commotion when the hearse sped away and then 6 men started carrying the casket down the alley. They did this with it lifted high…and open. Why? Because they believe it was the last chance for the dead gentleman to see his neighborhood and for neighbors to say a final good-bye. We had a perfect view from our third floor apartment. Several people proceeded to follow those carrying the casket. Shortly, everyone was gone...off to the burial site.

Our other neighbors who have passed on from this life lived in our building entrance. One lived in the apartment across the hall from us and one was beneath us. The one on the second floor was also an elderly gentleman whom we only saw a few times. The other we saw quite often. He was a kind man. He was only in his 40’s. He left behind a wife and a son in his 20’s. This man was in a car accident and then in a coma for a couple months. It is almost exactly a year ago when the car accident happened. We often see the wife and son, and it is still so difficult for them. This year has been tough on them individually and on their relationship with each other. They need much prayer.

This post is certainly not on a positive note…just some observations from this culture and life in general. We all face it. Death will come knocking some day. It’s inevitable. But there is a time for many other things to happen too…the events which make up LIFE.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.


Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Vacation Recap

Well, Christmas was a month ago now…hard to believe! We certainly had a FANTASTIC time on our trip to America!!! We saw so many people. It was great! We enjoyed being on a 3-week high…that is until we got back to Georgia and realized how worn out we were. We were excited to return here and cease living out of a suitcase, but all that traveling finally caught up to us. We have slowly returned to normal life and thankfully are feeling like ourselves again. We have started back into all our work and soon will be adding a little more. We are so thankful for all the time we got to spend with our family members and many friends. We missed out on seeing a few people that we thought we would see, but otherwise felt like we saw all that we could in 3 weeks, including some unplanned visits.

And we can’t forget to mention the home-cooked food and restaurants where we dined…some more than once (we lost track of how many Chick-fil-a runs we made :). It was all delicious! And now we are paying for it at the gym (but it was worth it!).

But wait there’s more…Megan had her nails “professionally” done not once but twice by 6-year old Kayla and then by 6-year old Leila. She felt so pampered with the glitter nail polish…once in hot pink and the second time a little more subtle. And then there was the Wii dance off. Although they didn’t win, a favorite dancing duo was definitely Wade and Leila…the “California girls” (that one just might be on video :). These are just some of our priceless memories!

Here are some favorite photos from our time in America.