we're home

It felt like coming home.  We arrived in Emi-woro just in time to come in late for church service, so now familiar African  songs were playing as we brought in our things.  It is extremely dry and brown and smoky.  It was 106.  The boarding students didn’t run out to greet us – that darned TV had their attention -  but it was a great reunion after church – if you excuse the fact that I seriously almost passed out walking back.  I guess I need a bit of transition time (for the heat) and I definitely needed some water!  We got a call a little over an hour before we arrived home – the pump hadn’t been working so there was no water for our house or anyone – so Devin jumped right back in.  He fixed lots of little things on Sunday, and didn’t know where the day went.  We were stopped by road safety on the way home, and were in a go-slow (a traffic jam) for about an hour.  We had ants in our luggage before we were able to unpack it in the evening, and ants on our bodies during dinner, so that felt about right!  We were interrupted with knocks at the door twice during dinner, which just made us smile – “we’re back.”  We were asked about our people, and specifically Pastor Mike,  about 100 times that first day, and another hundred since.  Internet is slow if at all and cell phone coverage is scratchy or drops altogether.  The boys are so happy to be here with their friends again, and didn’t complain about any of these things even once.  Why would they?  We’re home.

 

It’s a little – actually a lot – strange to have the house to ourselves -  no Stephanie, no Bassey – but it has been great.  Nigeria is still “broken,” and people here, people whom we have come to love, really need to know Jesus.  So, we’re in the right place.  God has gone before and totally surrounds us.