...And, We're Back!
We were extremely close to missing our flight out of Kigali 4 weeks ago. With thanks to a merciful Brussels Airlines supervisor who found compassion for a very pregnant mama with a tired toddler in pajamas and a papa close behind toting a whole lot of luggage, our move back to the States was a whirlwind, but otherwise uneventful. Thank you, God!
Wrapping Up Life in Rwanda
It's so hard to know how to sum up life in Rwanda, and to summarize the last few months! Our emotions were always mixed--thankfulness and happiness about the good things, and grief and sadness about the hard things.
We were thankful for a short visit from friends in March--it's always been a good thing to see Rwanda from other perspectives and interesting to see what sticks out to people.
My parents also came for an extended time, and in true character to the big-hearted and sacrificially-giving people they are, they braved even our last few crazy weeks with us in Rwanda to help us make the trip back to Chicago.
It's incredible to me how much God has provided for us through the love and care of others, especially during some of our most challenging passages.
Starting Up a New Life in the US
Shortly before we left Rwanda we met a woman who's lived in various parts of Africa for many years and now works in Kigali as a "transition coach" for those entering and leaving the country. She offered one bit of advice to us: "Think of the United States as a place that's new to you, as a whole new country altogether". This proved to be helpful especially in our first couple weeks back.
We have changed a lot in the last few years, and we don't fill the spaces we used to fill here in quite the same way we once did. That's okay, but it still takes some adjusting, and we're often aware of feeling displaced from what's become most familiar to us (life in Rwanda). It's kinda like we're still traveling the bumpy dirt road we began our move out of Kigali on, doing our best to navigate terrain that's changed and shifted since we last passed through--but North American-style asphalt is close in sight!
On the horizon are a few other big things for our family: the anticipated birth of our daughter this month, a new employment situation for Renjie, and another move into the place we hope to call "home" for the next year or so.
Snippets
Renjie: He's smack dab in the middle of pursuing middle school Math teaching positions for this fall, and he's been tutoring for the interim. He's also been continuing a year-long conversation with a colleague who lives in the US about starting a school together in the near future.
In the meantime, as the dust settles, he's breathing life into a blog on Christian education called Made to Learn. Check it out, even if you're not an educator (or a Christian!). If learning or growing as a human being interests you, this blog will interest you. And his writing is beautiful, so, just enjoy that if nothing else. :)
Francisco: He's amazing. He's doing really well. He also clearly misses Kigali a lot. I'm so thankful for the love and care that's been offered to us and the ways that eases the transition for him.
A high-pri for our first week back was to have Francisco re-evaluated by a pediatric ophthalmologist we saw last June for a condition called strabismus. Sigh! The strabismus is worse than it was, and she recommended pursuing sooner-than-later what we were hopeful last June could be avoided--surgery in both eyes. We're fortunate she's free to perform the procedure in September. While it's hard to think of putting our little guy under general anesthesia and to add one more big thing to this season of big experiences, I'm so very thankful we are able to pursue this for him now, when he's most likely to get the most benefit from it. This wouldn't have been a viable option in Rwanda, so it feels like another bit of confirmation that a move back to the US at this time is a good move as the logistics of being back here for surgery in September and later post-op follow ups would have been quite difficult.
Me: There's a baby on the way really soon! That's big on my mind, not to mention my belly. :) During what I thought would be a routine ultrasound shortly after we arrived in the US when we first met the obstetrician I'm working with, the ultrasound tech found a complication, which has meant 3x weekly appointments since to monitor baby's health, and the need to be prepared for any-day-now delivery. That's definitely turned up the intensity on re-entry. So thankful, though, that she is continuing to do well in-utero, and, as of my last meeting with the OB a few days ago, he's now hopeful we'll make it to full term!
Us: We are staying in the northern Chicago suburbs with my parents, and near the church we launched to Rwanda from. It's been amazing to have a place to land, to reconnect with friends, and a stable place from which to launch again into the "what's next" of the coming months, including a new place to call our "home" (probably in this area).
We're looking forward to what's next, and there's a lot of nervous anticipation, I think, also a sense of adventure tempered with some weariness, but a deep sense of gratitude to God for the lessons he has taught us especially in the last year about trusting who he is, trusting his faithfulness and love, and his ability to to make us useful in his kingdom.
On the drive home from last week's very positive-looking ultrasound scan, I cried tears of joy, thinking about the satisfaction God will feel like no one else can when he claims his final victory over sin and death. ...While I am honored to have served in Rwanda, I've never labored harder spiritually than when I'm there, and even as I've felt sweet-yet-sobering relief from that weight once again since we've been back here, I'm reminded how spectacular all of God's victories are, and though our labor may be hard, our joy in his indomitable love and power will one day be unrestrained. Such incredible hope!
So. This is us signing off for now! Thank you for being our friends, supporters, partners, and lending an ear to our stories. We hope you've been encouraged. You have encouraged us so much.
Heather, Renjie, Francisco, and Baby Abe
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