Wordless Wednesday - Not the greatest quality photos, but love this little lady playing dressup with her Mama's headwraps!

summer Saturday mornings = more homemade donuts!!!

YUMMMMMMMYYYYYYYY!

One of the benefits of sleeping in all week long? Mama is more likely to wake up in time to make some donuts!

Multitude Monday - 1000 Gifts - "See ya later..."

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go.

Others stay awhile,

make footprints on our hearts

and we are never,

ever

 the same."

~unknown

It's the "See ya later..." season and

it is most definitely NOT my favorite time of the year.

And just like the TCK kids I work with, just like the TCK kids I live with,

I've learned that "See ya later...," doesn't hurt any less but does,

at least sometimes,

help postpone the tears.

Bren's class this past year... at least two will not be returning next year for their senior year. At least one gal who isn't present in the photo will, Lord willing, be here. But this year there are so many "See ya laters" that, at least this side of heaven, seem more or less permanent goodbyes because the chances of our lives crossing paths in the near or distant future seems highly likely.



Brendan and his good friend DJ



Sahel Academy's graduating class, 2012

 



Joseph - or Uncle Joe as the kids like to call him - he hops a plane tonight





Leandra, our niece who has been here with us all year long, heads back to West Coast Bible in less than a week



Who was that famous guy who claimed that parting was such sweet sorrow?

Right about now, I'd like to slug him! I'd like to say there's nothing sweet about it - but I know that isn't true, since the sorrow seems directly proportional to the sweetness of the relationship.

So (ummmm, clearing my throat, snuffling my noise and blinking back hard those threatening tears) instead of feeling sorry and sad, this list is my choice to be thankful for the delight we've had...

this week's gratitude list

(#s 2223 - 2260)

tearful goodbyes because the laughter before was so exuberant

special dinners for special guys

woodworked gifts of love

little girl squeals as she's thrown high in the air

water balloon fights, even if it means wet clothes in the suitcase

running in the rain at night

wild and ferocious dust storms

watching Dr. Quinn for the umpteenth time and still loving it

knowing that some of these goodbyes are for just a few weeks or months, as friends return to their passport countries for the school break

early morning ames of "Horse-opoly!"

visiting with the bro-in-law

helping to pack bags - even if it means I'm helping them to leave

afternoon hours spent squeezing lemons by hand... together

hugs from kids I've watched grow up

young men and women who care enough and take the time to say thank you

fun photo of Ryan with his Wrightlings (a term he coined for our tribe that loves him and his brother, DJ, to death)

looking forward to one last, big breakfast at Amandine's

waterbeds galore - at least once we get them all set up

reading a book titled "Little Heathens" and laughing because the author heard that term so often as a child she thought is was a single word

busyness to distract from the sadness

beginning home school activities

primary colors everywhere in the girls' bedroom

watching friends who've grown up together play like the tykes they used to be

"walking on water" with the help of floating mats (the littlers were the winners, too!)

pool games at night... so much laughter

wondering when, if, they'll all be together like this ever again

camera wars at horseback riding lessons

hugs and holding loved ones tight

knowing that if there'd been more time, it would've been good time

making the most of opportunities given

nems and rice on a Sunday night, followed by "See ya laters..."

taking time

remembering

always room for one more for dinner chez nous

forgetting the memory card for the camera and being forced to take a memographic photo...

healthy littlest one after a big scare last weekend

time and internet to continue once again with Multitude Monday

appearance of the red velvet mites; millet sown all over town

seeing an answer to prayer the very next day

 

A Link I Think You'll Find Worth the Time it Takes to Read...

A Grief Interruption

Go ahead. Head on over to read it.
You really won't even need to come back here after you do.

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I've only spoken with Deb, the author of this blog, a few times.

I appreciate her blog; she's a gifted writer and

she experiences a slice of Niger life that I really don't.

This particular story broke my heart - maybe because I have seen glimpses

of this sort of tragic slice...

Woman not able, not allowed, discouraged to express any emotion when they lose.
And they do lose.
Often.
Lots.

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...listening to Mamata talk about burying five of her eleven babies, before they turned 2 ~

...watching my friend Tina going through the pain of an abusive, broken marriage to lose legally what little say she did have in the lives of her beautiful children ~

...sitting with Issoufou's widow and little boy - she couldn't have been more than 18 ~

...seeing our guard Amadou lose his first baby boy just weeks ago; then today the body of his little brother was returned to the family. He was killed when the UN forces with whom he served were ambushed down along the Liberian/Ivory Coast border ~

...little Zeinabou, our neighbor girl, severly handicapped after her encounter with cerebral malaria and meningitis, yet her family choosing life for her ~

...Elsie Mae's friend from church, Salamatou - who has recently lost fingers due to infections from simple cuts and scrapes while living out in the village and no access to medical care. She's not lost her sweet smile and delight in hugs and holding hands ~

And that list could go on and on and on...

Life in Niger is hard, so desperately hard, for her people.

I'm spoiled.

We Americans are selfish and spoiled...

I've seen.

I've no excuse.

Yet as I look at the priorities in my heart,

I'm still pleading,

"Lord, open my eyes...

...and change the priorities of my heart."

5 Minute Friday ~ Paths

Hopefully back more consistently now that the school year is over... and just delighted to be joining Lisa Jo over at Gypsy Mama for 5 Minute Friday!

"So, here’s the skinny: every Friday for over a year hundreds of people join a kind of writing flash mob over here. For five minutes flat. No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation.

Unscripted. Unedited. Real. All on the same prompt that I post here at 1 minute past midnight EST ever Friday.

Write and see what comes out. There’s no right or wrong.

It’s a Five Minute Friday flash mob!

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

OK, are you ready? Please give me your best five minutes on...

Path..."

On your mark... Get set... Go!

It is that time of the year in life, particularly in this expat life...



My husband describes it as a great sucking sound when that plane takes off on Sunday night, late, after church. It feels like half our world will be on that plane, leaving. And if not on that plane, than another one in just a few more short days... or weeks...

It kinda feels like the insides of your heart are being sucked right out of you - so strongly, so rapidly, that your heart is just turned right inside out.

We celebrated grad last night... we've actually been celebrating it all this week with final final exams, banquets, at least two all night parties, cleaning out lockers and closing assemblies. It all culminated in, as they say in French, "la remise de diplomes."

It is a celebration. Those kids have worked hard and they've earned that right to rejoice and have fun ~ and all the while being celebrated by those who've watched, helped and struggled both with and, at times against, them through those tumultous high school years.

Next year's senior class... Brendan's graduating class... although at least two of these kids will be gone next year, too.

That part is normal to almost any community at this time of year. The difference comes in the paths these children-who've-now-been-promoted-to-young-adults.

One heads to S. Africa... another to Korea... another to Canada... one to Austria... then there's the one who may go back to Cameroon... while others to all parts of United States. And at college breaks they mostly won't return here. For many, their parents are transitioning, too... to another place, a new ministry and a new phase of life, and so Mom and Dad's new home will no longer be a familiar place they know.

And so their circle grows and changes as each one moves beyond the radius of what they've known, their paths taking a different directions and aimed towards different destinations.

Many of them? Their paths may never cross again this side of eternity...

... or facebook.

The paths God has chosen for each one of  us are like that, aren't they? Such a mix of mountain top joy swirled together with heart-breaking sorrow.

Stop!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Last day of school... Can you find the Wrights within (all except for Tim)?

Photo taken by my friend Shannon Maxwell... and scavenged off of FB. 

Not my words (so they don't count); Thus it is still... Wordless Wednesday - Afternoon Dust Storm

(click on the photo or here to see more pictures)



Wordless Wednesday: It it doesn't seem so long ago, so how come they look like such little tykes?

Dissolved, Part II

Time passed; in the intervening months God graciously provided us with a new infrastructure. Most of our supporters did decide to stay with us and some surprising partners have generously provided since monies like future support, funds saved for education and plane tickets, etc., were all lost to us with the dissolution of our organization. Daily, our lives and ministries continue.

Yet in many ways, we are still stuck halfway across that high wire, very much in limbo. We keep things running here, waiting for the human powers that be to decide what will be… while we wait to hear all of the legal ramifications of this process back in the States, while we try and cling to the truth that God is sovereign.

I'm reading a book called The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions. One of my friends, hearing of our particular circumstances, wrote me and asked if she could get me this book. I’ve been very thankful for it as I’ve slowly worked my way through it. Today I read:

“At the beginning of the story, Abraham was asked to trust God by letting go of his past—by moving away from his people and his country. Now, near the end of his journey, Abraham is asked to trust God by letting go of his future—releasing his beloved son Isaac through whom the promised blessing is to be fulfilled.”

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Please join me over at Missionary Moms this Memorial Day weekend as I share "Dissolved - Part II." If you have no clue what I'm talking about, and want to read "Dissolved- Part I," you will find it here!

5 Minute Friday ~ Opportunity

Joining up, today, with Lisa-Jo over at Gypsy Mama for 5 Minute Friday ~

"Around here we write for five minutes flat on Fridays.

We write because we love words and the relief it is to just write them without worrying if they’re just right or not. So we take five minutes on Friday and write like we used to run when we were kids.

On Fridays we write with gusto, unselfconscious and flat out.

What can you write in five minutes flat?

 

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.

OK, are you ready? Give me your best five minutes on..."

Opportunity…

...Go!

My big girl turns 15 today.

Wow! Hold on just a sec while I pause and catch my breath...

When and how did THAT happen?

Do you remember when you turned 15?

I do... and yet... I don't.

I'd begun my sophmore year of high school... and there was this guy I kinda liked, but he'd be graduating and heading off to an academy a long ways away.

My mom was the person who most drove me crazy - and yet? I so wanted her to be proud of me. I longed to make her and Daddy proud.

I thought I had the coolest Nana and Pop Pop in the whole world and I loved summer vacation when we'd visit their small town home.

At church, I had the "funnest," coolest youth group leaders in the world - Mr. and Mrs. C!

I'd moved into a new age group for swim competitions and I wondered if I'd be any good. I finally decided to quit competing in gymnastics, too - upon the recommendation of my coaches - so I could truly focus on one sport.

I was working as a swim instructor and a lifeguard at two different pools in town; that year I reluctantly began supervising when the Association of Retarded Citizens would come to the pool each week.

I would be learning to drive.

I loved my NASB - and was starting to really fall in love with God's Word. I remember "discovering..."

Thus saith the LORD, "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.

 ...wishing I had some sort of rule book

that told me just how to live like that,
and?

Over the years, I've come to find out that I did, all along.

I never felt particularly pretty and certainly wasn't "popular," but I was pretty comfortable as a scholar and an athlete.

I still had to go to school over at the old Sooner high school since the powers that were then had decided to combine the town's two high schools. I went to school with some pretty uppitty, well-to-do kids. I guess, in many senses, I was one of them, but I never felt that way. I road the bus (well, when I did) mostly with kids from the other side of the tracks. Those were the kids I actually thought were really cool and who had interesting lives... yet I was shy, not much of a conversationalist... and so I existed on the periphery of what I'd sorta call my circle of friends.

I didn't know how to walk as a confident Christ follower in that world, even though I wanted to.

That was me, when I turned 15.

Sometimes I think I know... other times I wonder if I have any clue... just who my now 15 year old is and who she wants to become... who the Lord wants her to be.

I particularly wonder if she sees all that beauty inside becoming, if she really has a clue of what all life is in front of her...???

... so many possibilities...

...so much opportunity...

all bundled into our beautiful "Baby ekah baby ekah baby!"

Happy 15th birthday, Rebekah Joy!

...Stop!

(Writing? 5 minutes. Adding all the pictures? Well... since internet in Niger has been moving like mud the past few days? Significantly longer. But she's worth it! :-)

Dissolved - Part I

Missionaries… all who follow Christ… are told to count the cost. But what about when something unthinkable happens? How do you prepare for that?

Late at night, on August 24, 2011, we received the following in a letter from our sending organization:

“Following extensive objective assessment and the advice of legal counsel, we are beginning action to dissolve… The organization will be in the process of shutting down over the next week and a half. Funds to continue are not available… final payments of reimbursable expenses will be paid as of August 23rd..."


The majority of our Niger/Benin missionary team at the time of the dissolution.

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Please head over to Missionary Moms, where last week I shared a little about our experience over the past several months as our sending agency had to close its doors.