Homesick

 There is something nice about being in a place that feels like ‘home’. Home is a place of comfort, ease and belonging, where you know what to expect and what’s expected. It is a place defined as much by the people and culture as it is by a place and furnishings. 

Our son in his new dorm

Yesterday I was talking with someone about whether ‘home’ is more about the people or the place— it was in the context of pets and whether when people leave Africa for good, if they should transplant their pets across the globe or leave them with others in the only place they have ever known.  Tough decision. 

When our kids were little, we made efforts to help make them feel at ‘home’ no matter where we went. We developed family routines that were transportable and doable in various locales— our evening devos, our singing grace at meals, our family movie night. I used to pack thin blankets in their little backpacks that I would lay on whatever bed they were going to sleep in to mark it as ‘their bed’ even though it might be in a strange place. 

Our kids were great travelers. But after a lot of time away in various places, I remember our kids would be excited to get home to the islands— to be back in their beds, to be back with their toys, to be back in the heat, back eating some island foods— back into what felt like normal life. There’s that relief of being fully comfortable again… it’s nice to be home. 

Tom and I will be returning to the islands this week but without any kids.  As I have pondered what it will be like to return, I think there will be some of that relief to be in our own home after being away, but it will also feel strange because our kids are part of what makes it feel like home. Partially it is them as people, partially it is a rhythm of family life that they bring, but also I think it might be the familiarity of the role of being a parent and a homeschool teacher that has been part of home for many years now. 

Our oldest and our youngest are having the double shock of a completely new place and completely new people. It isn’t easy. We had several calls from our son this week. People are friendly and he’s getting to know his schedule, but he’s still homesick. He hasn’t mentioned the islands, he’s homesick for us. People and community are a big part of making a place a home.  

We saw our older two kids develop that sense of home at boarding school— they found friends and staff that helped them feel connected and comfortable there. In our daughter’s new transition to the US, it is some of those connections within her high school class that she is reaching out to in order to comfort and ground her as she starts anew. They might not be at college with her but they know her and are going through similar things. 

A sense of home isn’t automatic but a new place, a new community can become home.  It takes some intentionality.  It takes being willing to make it home. It takes time. In the meantime, there will be some homesickness— the natural grieving of what you don’t have at the moment.  

Her meds finally arrived!

There will be some grieving and homesickness in our family this week as we miss each other and the familiarity of home. But we take comfort that we are told that this earth is not our home. We have a heavenly home based on being in the presence of God and He is someone who is with us wherever we go! May we rest in the familiarity and comfort of His presence. 

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We are thankful for our great kids and the good schools that they are attending. We rejoice in the fact that after over a month of struggles with the US health and insurance system, our daughter has her new medication! Our older son auditioned and got the lead role in the 1st trimester drama production! Tom made it safely to mainland Africa late last night and we heard from the US embassy that he will be able to pick up his new passport tomorrow (he had been traveling on a temporary emergency passport). 

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Pray for us to not wallow in homesickness but to rejoice in where God has placed us at this time and season. Pray for smooth travels and transition back to the islands. We’ve heard news of an issue that has caused a division among some of the mature believers on Clove Island. Pray with us for unity— for good discussion and listening to one another and growing together in truth and love.  During the summer months, the island brothers and sisters have not been gathering as regularly— pray that with the school year starting that they would get back into healthy rhythms and not give up meeting together. Hashiri continues to struggle with her health— pray for healing for her and the courage to follow God’s leading.  As our daughter starts this new medication— pray for healing and that it would agree with her body and be effective. May she no longer struggle with pain and fatigue, especially as she starts college. The first week of school was a little tough for our son. Pray for both our daughter and youngest son that they would be willing to step out to make new friends and find community in their new schools and that academics would not overwhelm them.