What's Ahead

Almost daily, and certainly weekly, we have interactions with people who are somehow involved in the development of the people of Burundi.  Remember the book Dangerously Alive I wrote about before? The author is Simon Guillebaud, and one of the couples that has been working with him this year is Ladd and Carley Serwat.  They just happen to be from the Coeur d'Alene area, which is just about 1 1/2 hours from where we live.  This week we got to meet Ladd and Carley, and we were so encouraged by who they are and what they are all about!

We continue to have conversations with others about what our part will be in all of this.  There is excitement as we think about some aspects of the adventure, but there is also a grim and intimidating reality of hardship that awaits us.  Rachel, one of the McCropder team doctors who have been studying French for the past 10 months, shares how hard it was suddenly being reduced to communicating like an 18-month-old.

I couldn't communicate with anyone on the street without extreme amounts of difficulty--from the bread store guy to Maggie's teacher to the nice lady who greeted me at the front door of the church every week...Every day I would have my feeble attempts at speech corrected.  Every paper, every test turned in would be returned bleeding red ink.  I am a smart person.  At least, I used to be.  Maybe I'm not any more.  Why can't I get this?  Why would God call me to do something that I can't do? 

And they haven't even gotten to Burundi yet!  This was still part of the preparation for their work there!  A British family teaching at one of the only English schools in Burundi writes, "...we deal with Cholera, corruption, extreme poverty, cockroaches, power cuts, water cuts, massive inefficiencies, food shortages, fuel shortages, a lack of healthcare, too many guns, nighttime shooting, deadly snakes, rats, malaria, etc..."  Somehow though, they are able to write "We love it here. The work is essential and rewarding. Our lifestyle is great."  How is that possible?  How can all the realities of the first sentence be true, and yet be followed up by the last three?

So how in the world can we look at these examples, among many others, and not run screaming from any mention of Burundi ever again?  (I'm not sure exactly why we haven't thrown out the whole idea, to be honest).  We have no shortage of people pointing out how wonderful and fabulous our life here is--and we agree with them!  We have a lovely home surrounded by a gorgeous view, supportive friends and church, family close to us, Hank's thriving dental practice, etc.  It is not something we want to leave.  How could we give that all up? Why would we give that all up?  

These are the questions in our minds these days.  We pray many times a day for wisdom, for perseverance and joy to live our life fully where we are now, and strength for what is to come.  Whether that is malaria and poverty or the cancer of complacency in the comfort of our castle.

"Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance...beyond the reach of change and decay...So be truly glad.  There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to enjoy many trials for a little while."  (1 Peter 1:3-6, NLT)

Photo by Jordan K. Photography