Gifts of Life

This year, more than ever, I am enjoying preparing gifts of life for giving - gifts of goats, mosquito nets, relief food, and even latrines. Call me a slow learner - but it has taken me this long (62 years!) to truly appreciate the opportunity to give in this way.

Merry Christmas world!

TIS THE SEASON

What's it all about? Shopping? Getting? Eating? 


Compassion? Relationships? 


Here is a thought provoking video ..... 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkTyPzRzuwc



What if we all took it to heart?  What if ? 


Christmas blessings to you and may your Christmas be made fresh and new... 


May I be changed. 

Everyone can do something #1

As I continue to try to grasp - at least in part - the circumstances and tragedy of global poverty I think a lot about old question "what we can do about it?"

As I pray and meditate further I sense that I might share some of what I am finding / learning ... not that we personally do all these things but simply for consideration .... because everyone can do something.

Speaking of simply, we are attempting to live more simply in order to have more to give and for the sake of this beautifully created world. There is a saying - Live simply that others may simply live. Rings true to my ears!

Here is the first little find for sharing - it is a micro finance site at www.kiva.org which facilitates funding from the general public which can be assigned to a designated individual for business start up.

One must use their own judgement of course but it seems that enabling an individual to have a livelihood is worth some consideration. We heard about this at the Leadership Summit we attended last week.

We are grateful to have had 2 past opportunities to serve some of the neediest of the needy in Africa in 07 and in 08/9. One cannot help but see not only neediness, sickness, hunger, and poverty but also the incredible strength, persistence and determination among these very capable, community oriented individuals and families. We have given some of ourselves but received and learned so much more. Such opportunities are to be deeply appreciated.

I hope the kiva site is of interest to you.

Blog Fever

Sometimes I forget things - such as "I don't have to leave the country to blog"! Summer on the island is noteworthy in itself !

The simple things are often the best - a walk on the waterfront listening to an amazing youth choir, bumping into friends and breathing in the salty sea air.

I love this place ....... Nanaimo is home.

From here there is easy access to so much out doors - trails, beaches, kayaking spots, picnic places and so on...

The city's downtown core just keeps getting better and better and the waterfront holds fascination for us with its boat basin and sea planes and walkways, enough coffee shops to fill your boots!

Most of our needs are easily met within walking distance of home and there are many opportunities to serve others in both organized and serendipitous ways. And you meet lots of interesting people along the way ... I am so thankful.

To be honest however, I do tend to have "itchy feet" to head off again with CRWRC or Mission Builders .... to serve where needed .... I surely do miss Africa ! It gets into you somehow and it does not care to leave! But for now we are here We are blessed,

Nanaimo

Pipers Lagoon



Ron, Annabel and Brigitte



The music conservatory just up the street from home

Casey, Cassidy, Jo and Rudy!

Cambridge photos

The river runs alongside Marty's Dorm building!


Marty's dorm room window is the largest one.




Annika and Martin

RE-ENTRY

We have been home for almost 2 weeks and are readjusting to what ‘normal’ daily life looks like. It is a bit of a wrestling match – like trying to fit the pieces of a jigsaw without the photograph of what the finished piece should look like. Perhaps we will never know the ‘answers’ for places like Kenya but we feel privileged to assist in some small way.

In the meantime we had an amazing time in Australia and then in Cambridge before arriving back home on the coast we love so dearly.

Backtracking to Australia – the day to leave came far too quickly with Jonathan just a week old. Pete and Shirl (Caleb’s amazing parents) joined Caleb, Jen, Thomas, Jonathan and Ron and I at the airport to see us off – to visit, bless, pray and say goodbye. You can probably imagine my complete melt down in tears going through security….. and the thanksgiving in my heart for such a precious visit.

We flew to Singapore and on to Heathrow. From there we took a bus to Cambridge which stopped a block from our B&B. Marty and Anni met us and we walked, wandered, listened, talked, photographed and soaked up the history and beauty of the area. M and A are great company anytime and anywhere! We ate in a couple of pubs, visited a botanical garden, browsed the book stores, museums, colleges etc. What a beautiful place! History enfolds you everywhere you turn and the weekend flew by all too quickly.

Before we knew it we were heading back to the airport for a Heathrow to Vancouver flight …and then onward to Nanaimo where Don and Joan graciously drove us home despite the time of day!! It was wonderful to see them and to start connecting with friends and family here…..

Adjusting to the comforts of home and the affluence of life in Nanaimo takes time but readjusting to people takes only micro seconds …. Just cannot get enough of them! As for sliding into routines like housework … well that is another story!!!! Some things I honestly don’t miss when I am away from home! But I am thankful to have a home to care for …. I just need to get a rhythm going!!

The most frequent question we hear is ‘what’s next?’. God knows the answer to that one and we will know in due time. Whatever and wherever the adventure continues.

photos and such

We await the opportunity to work from our own computer so we can upload some more photos. In the meantime there are some at www.flickr.com/photos/laurzy.
We leave Perth in 24 hours and travel for 20 hours to Heathrow, then a bus ride to Camrbidge.... and reunite with Marty and Annika. We are truly blessed.

The Brownhill Connection

It has been a joy to be here in Perth and sharing in the anticipation and arrival of Jonathan David. We have had the priviledge of reconnecting with Thomas and being blessed in many ways. We hope you enjoy the photos!

Visual Turkana

Here is a wee taste of Turkana visially.

We are now in Perth with Jen, Caleb and Thomas awaiting Bubs #2. We spent the first 5 days here at the beach getting over jet lag while Ron battled a bug he picked up the day we left Kenya.

We are missing our team in Kenya very much but lovng the enfolding of the Brownhills and the YWAm group.

We are also enjoying a good internet connection on the base!!!

Our accomodation is in a house about 5 blocks from the YWAM campus with 2 couples who are doing a crossroads DTS. They are leaving for Papau New Guinea in a couple of weeks time. They have had an amzing expereince here in Perth and are looking ahead with great anticipation. Hopefully we can stay in touch with them and hear about their outreach.

Keep watch for some baby news! JEN IS READY!

ENDING A CHAPTER

‘There is nothing like a good book’ ….however….. experiencing the ‘real thing’ is definitely richer.

When Ron and I married some 35 + years ago, we did not fully recognize our mutual love for adventure…. As that spirit grew over the years, it fortunately grew in both of us …..so here we are living some amazing adventures.

Beyond the sights and sounds of a new place there is a pulse …. a heartbeat. Becoming truly involved in the lives of locals in Kenya has brought us to the emotional heartbeat of this place. It has been an amazing blessing.

But back to good books – we read an ‘out of print’ book while we were here called My Kenya Days. We enjoyed it not for its literary brilliance but for its ability to engage us in Turkana back in the 1960s. It gave us a way to connect many things to the realities we experienced there in 2008/2009!

Still speaking of books, we purchased a Safari Guide to East African Wildlife after being on Masai Mara and were thus introduced to an amazing photographer - Jonathan Scott. The book we bought is not his best photographically speaking, but if any of you who like photography can find one of his books in the library – be sure to check it out! He has a web site which is worth finding and his wife, Angela, is also an excellent photographer.

Back to ending a chapter - a good chapter … it makes you want to go the next…. but that one of course is not yet written in the physical realm….. although God knows it well. We do not know if we will return to Kenya again but we are surely willing!

So, how to describe the chapter which has just closed? It was surely full of surprises, challenges, new sites, rough roads, hard paces, and some pretty uncomfortable beds. There were those poisonous spiders in our hotel room, a few unidentifiable meals and other inconveniences. But these are not the things we will remember. That which is clear in our minds eye is all amazing:

· Travelling to what initially felt like the end of the earth and finding there neediness ….but also perseverance, commitment, adaptability, determination, faith, and sharing.
· Wonders of creation including the most beautiful sunrises imaginable
· Opportunities to serve, connect with, mentor and work alongside some of Kenya’s finest individuals.
· The challenge to the heart and mind when there are far more needs than possibilities and to move forward without becoming discouraged
· Adapting to travelling with armed security escorts when our basic leaning is to not get close up and personal with guns of any kind!
· The privilege of sitting under an acacia tree with the Turkana women listening to them chatting and sharing womanly things without using words.
· Dancing with the locals and hearing their laughter (at us!)
· Listening to the people sing in their own language a song which declares –‘we don’t now the future but we know that God will guide us’.
· The inward ‘embarrassment’ of watching tiny women who eat only one small meal a day pick up a 50 kg sack and walk off with it on their heads when I cannot even lift it off the ground without help.
· Witnessing the Turkana people who sit and wait patiently for food for many hours in the blazing sun and blowing sand.
· Being humbled to be given Turkana names – Akal (Lauris) – meaning Place of Rest and Ewoi (Ron) (aye whoi) meaning Acacia Tree. This is an act of love and acceptance and we were indeed honored.
· The generosity of people who have little….. sharing their possessions in blessing to others, including ourselves.
· The blessing of being loved and respected while simultaneously agonizing over farewells to colleagues who will be forever in our hearts.

In the midst of one chapter now closed…. there is also anticipation of the next and the next and the next. God is good – He holds the future – He makes us willing. His grace is sufficient. He supplies our needs. Praise be to God and thank You for a great chapter!!