Monday, 22 March 2010 01:39
I was on Facebook tonight when one of my friends in France confessed that she was feeling really homesick at the moment. Someone replied to her that after a few years on the field, the homesickness still hasn't gotten any easier, and I had to agree with that. Of all the trials we've faced, homesickness has consistently been the hardest for me. But even as I read this Facebook exchange, I remembered one of the verses God has brought to mind over and over again these last few years: "He sets the lonely in families." (Psalm 68:6.) Even though no one will ever replace real family, God has, as usual, provided "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Eph 3:20) for us here.
Today, for example, Sarah and I spent a fun hour with our neighbor Nina, while she taught us to make blini, the Russian version of crepes. In a cultural sense, Nina has been sort of a mother to me: showing me how to celebrate holidays; teaching me how to be hospitable in a way Russians will appreciate; admonishing me to eat better and dress my children more warmly; scolding and admiring me by turns, as it's called for. Galya, her daughter, has been like the little sister I never had. I teach her English; she takes care of my houseplants and dog when I'm away, and in between, we teach each other slang, mutually wish for a boyfriend for her, and admire each others' new shoes and hairstyles.
Speaking of sisters, God has given me them in droves, both Russian and American. We have an incredible community of expatriate women here: one of my real sadnesses in leaving Krasnodar will be saying good-bye to them. We celebrate American holidays together; our children are friends; many of them have been doing this work a lot longer than I have, so they have wisdom and perspective to share with me, and encouragement from God's word. Mostly though, they just understand this crazy life we live in a way no one else can possibly do, and we can laugh and weep about it together: that's worth a lot. Plus, every one of them is an excellent cook, and I've gotten some great recipes from them. I have brothers here too: people I could call in the middle of the night if I had to, if Tim were away and I needed something.
There's nothing like real family, but God's grace, poured out to us through all sorts of surrogate family here, is just one more of the multitude of reminders that He loves us and cares about the little things that make life easier in the midst of the batte.
