our departure

We leave for JFK in a few hours, then to Paris and on to Malabo. It's hard to believe how quickly the time has passed--even though it's not been a terribly long time--just since June. I'm happy to report we should have power when we get there. That's welcome news--and even though it will certainly make things easier for us as a team, it's difficult to imagine how Pastor Carrol and Gayle have tolerated it for 4 weeks now! The generator they have is old and expensive to run so it wasn't used as often or for as long as they needed it to.

I've been doing errands for the last two weeks making sure I have all my necessities and a few wants. Today was a very long day of transporting pups to Amy's house, picking up last minute items, and dinner and dessert with our girls and families. There was also a trip to the doc for me because of a diverticulitis flare up. He added a couple of prescriptions to my list and I'm feeling much better now.

Pastor Gary recently preached about Jesus sleeping in the boat while the storm raged as He and his disciples headed across the lake. Their destination was the other side of the lake and they were going to get there. Jesus said so. But the disciples became terrified on the way because of the storm. They panicked when the way to the other side wasn't what they'd expected. The way hadn't been smooth, painless and perfect. They lost sight of what Jesus told them. They awakened Jesus and He calmed the storm and, ultimately, them.

We've had a few, very few, glitches as we've prepared to go on this trip, but we are heading to Malabo as the short term destination the Lord has set for us. It's not going to be a vacation. We are going to work to complete a goal, but I know it will be enjoyable and satisfying and fun because we are setting out to do what the Lord has asked with people who all have the same focus. How much better can it get?

I'll post as often as I can and bring you along with us on our adventure of a lifetime. Please pray for us all.

Father, thank you for this opportunity and for providing a way to go on this trip. I am humbled and grateful for your hand on this project, for your hand on us. Please bless us and help us to accomplish all that YOU have planned. I love you utterly...

Suz

Aunt Wanda's birthday!

It was a Sunday, Sept 23, 1928, in Sweetwater, Tennessee, when my maternal grandmother, Myrtle Patterson Kidd, gave birth in her home to Wanda Lou Kidd, my dear aunt. She already had 3 sons, Garnet, 7, Earle. 5, and Kenneth, 3. Wanda was her first baby girl.

Even though weak in her body from chronic asthma, tired from taking care of her 3 active little boys, and exhausted from labor, she must have been happy to finally have a daughter. Wanda was the baby for three years until the others started coming along: Barbara, Margaret, Don, Polly, and Nancy.

The family struggled to make a living. George, my grandfather, was a sharecropper and sometimes worked in the woolen mills. As a girl, Wanda and the others had to feed the chickens, milk the cows and tend the garden, as well as go to school. It was a hard life and they may not have had much, but they never went hungry.

Wanda grew up and went to work as soon as someone would hire her. As soon as they were old enough, all the children had to have jobs and contribute to the household budget. As long as she lived at home, she never questioned that it was her responsibility to work and help bring money in to support the family.

Wanda grew up to be a wonderful young woman who married her sweetheart, Bill. They moved from Tennessee to Michigan to begin their married life and my parents followed. After I was born, Aunt Wanda took care of me for a year while my mother worked. As I grew up she took me with her on bus trips to Tennessee to visit family and other trips to Indiana to visit Uncle Bill's family. We were travelling buddies. She took good care of me and we had lots of fun together. She was my friend then, as she is my friend now.

Aunt Wanda has always treated me with respect and listened to me. I remember having conversations. She'd talk, I'd listen. I'd talk, she'd listen. It's a rare gift when someone really listens and even more rare when she listens to a child or young adult. Aunt Wanda listened and I always felt important when I was with her, as I do now.

When I spent Saturday nights at their house there was always church on Sunday morning and I watched her live a Christian life in a practical way. I saw her write out her tithe envelope. I heard her sing in church service. I learned how to behave in church by her example. I learned that church was a place to worship the Lord, but where you could also make great friends! I still remember some of the ladies she was friends with at Missionary Church in Royal Oak, Mich. She was my example of a true Christian in every day life.

Over the course of their lifetimes, Aunt Wanda and Uncle Bill opened their home to many family members when they needed help for a time and also took on the responsibility of raising foster children. As a young girl, I remember meeting many new "cousins" and observing how each one was brought into the home and simply accepted as one of the family.

Aunt Wanda turns 83 years old tomorrow and is still interested in what's going on in mine and my family's lives. She has her own tremendous aches and pains but still asks me about my children and grandchildren, about what we've been doing and what we plan to do. Although her health does not permit much activity, her interest in life beyond her bedroom walls is amazing, vibrant and alive!

Happy Birthday, to my dearest Aunt Wanda! You have been my best friend from the day I was born until this very moment. I love you and wish you only good days! The Lord truly blessed me when He brought us together!

Father, Thank you for your gift of Aunt Wanda to me. She's a perfect fit! I love you, Lord, for your great blessings to us. Please bless her in amazing ways even now!

Suzanne

check, check, check--Malabo, here we come!

Dogfood, check. Dog gates for Amy's house, check. Blue's meds, check. Instruction letter for the three pups, unchecked. It seems like a simple task taking care of 3 pups--after all, they are dogs, not children, but they do require some instruction about their habits, quirks, behaviors. If for no reason other than it will probably make our month long absence easier for our daughter to take care of them. Probably. I hope so.

Three, old, cantankerous Chihuahuas aren't a walk in the park--even for us! At this very moment, Treasure wants to go to bed so she's staring at me and "harrumphing" every few seconds so I'll go to bed and take her with me. I'm not ready to go to bed. She's just going to have to get over it. I'm not going to be put to bed by a bossy pup!

The pups are only one element that need attention so we can leave in a week and a half. I'm also trying to get our clothes together. You know, just enough, not too many, and just the right type--not too hot, but what if it gets a little chilly? I don't want to over pack--I can't over pack. I get one suitcase of up to 50 lbs and a carry-on and I don't want to be packing the night before we leave this time. I would like to be done with everything a day or two before. I've never done it before. Maybe this will be a first!

I'm going to miss my family like crazy. I've had my kids and their kids close to me their whole lives with the exception of vacations and mission trips, so this bothers me. Communication is a nearly daily occurrence...now. Soon? Not so much. I guess if there's one sacrifice long term missionaries make that touches my heart the most, it's the loss of geographical closeness with their families. Even now, my dear friend's daughter, son-in-law and and two young grandkids are preparing to go to Eastern Europe as long-term missionaries. Even though it's a God ordained assignment and they have worked hard and waited for this day for a very long time, my friend will be away from them for extended periods of time and she will miss them all terribly. I am happy because her children are doing what the Lord has set before them and I am heartbroken for my friend's pain.

There are still many things to think about and so many things left to do. Many boxes to check--to cross off the list. This is a story yet to be lived and written and I can hardly wait!

Father, Thank you for this upcoming adventure! I don't know what the days and weeks will bring but I am trusting you, regardless. I love you utterly.

Suz

planning for Africa

We had an organizational meeting about the Africa trip last night and everything went well. We met a couple new guys who are going with us on the first leg of the month long mission and I think they will work well with our team. There was talk of immunizations, flights, baggage, what to take, tools, mud for the blocks, how many block there are to lay and how many the team can lay in a day. I thought about my roll in the mission, cooking and helping with team support and wondered if I am up to the task. Sleep eluded me all night last night as I mentally went over my list of things to remember, to buy, and to do before our date to leave.

Byron and I went to the doc today for new prescriptions and advice about malaria and travelers diarrhea--ever present possibilities when going to a third world country. I wrote out my list of errands to do and purchases to make and with each check off, I thought of two more to add!

I know I'm stressing over this stuff and I don't want to. I'm sure if I were more confident in my ability to organize, I wouldn't keep going over these things, but I'm not, so I stress. But it's really ok. I'm not in a tizzy or anything, I'm just trying to be thorough. I am really looking forward to this adventure. I can't wait to go to church with our African brothers and sisters! Their services are such celebrations with great music and dancing! It's different and worshipful and fun :) I wish I knew more Spanish so I could communicate better, so I'm going to drag out my Spanish textbook from community college and see if I can refresh my memory a bit. I'm sure it will help some!

It's going to be a good trip! I just know it will! It will be hard work, but it will be good. The Lord has His hand all over this one in the way it was brought up and worked out. It was only June when our team was asked to come--and now, with the Lord's help, we are leaving Sept 30 and will return Oct 28! How's that for amazing? What a privilege to be doing this!

Serving the Lord is nothing if not exciting! Please pray for the team as we move toward our departure date.

Father, you amaze me! I am in awe of your providence and ability to orchestrate circumstances and situations. There is no one like you! I'm so happy to be called your friend:) Thank you for your love and your guidance. I love you utterly.

Suz