Personal Space

Work has annual requirements for me to fulfill, so for the past two days I drove down to Toronto to take a course on Crisis Intervention and Restraint training. I choose to take the course in TO rather than in my district because I prefer to train with a room full of people who have different cultural backgrounds. And once again I had a blast.
One of the first exercises was to split the class in two, line up and face eachother. My partner happened to be a cute young guy who had never taken this training before. I was supposed to walk across the room and when he felt uncomfortable with me approaching his personal space bubble, he would put up his hand to stop me. I would then stop. Three feet away.
Next he had to walk towards me and I put up my hand at about a half a foot away because he was looking very uncomfortable. The teacher told everyone to take a small step forward and we were toe to toe. He started to laugh. The instructor thought a third time would really nail down the theory that we all have personal space, but when I walked across the room, this man opened his arms and gave me a hug. Yeah! I did it again. Broke the ice and proved I don't really care if you are in my space.
The instructor was a bit intrigued until I explained that I have lived in third world countries and people invade my space all the time. When she asked why I let his guy in, I told her that I trusted him. It was pretty clear that we shared the same faith and position at work, so why wouldn't I trust him. I assumed he wasn't aggressive and I had no reason to fear him, and in the end I got my free hug for the day. :)
Guy number two brought out more of my humorous side. We were watching half the class do their restraint techniques and it started to look like a choreographed dance routine. Later on in the day I was watching this guy do his manoevers and so I quickly sketched an 8.5 on a napkin and held it up. He laughed, completely catching on that I was judging his dancing.
Why am I sharing these stories? I don't know, but it's just been fun to laugh and learn and once again spread my wings.

I've still been trying to go around with my camera and catch glimpses of what goes on in the world around me. Please share in my sight seeing adventures:

This tree reminds me of many "Group of Seven" paintings.
Yeah, I graduated with another certificate!

Finally, two days ago I finished Mom's cross-stitch that we bought in the Philippines in 2004.

Bones started licking his paws when he found real Canadian maple syrop.

Phew... winter is over... spring has sprung!

Now it's time for fishing and barbeques.

One day I went to go find Bones because I wanted to pack him for a trip and I found him praying at the bedside in Dad's office. Silly Mom, tricks are for kids.

Good growth

Moses called me today and thanked me for being one of the best teacher trainers ever. I was so humbled as he said the Sunday school class is growing and the church leaders are really encouraging Moses in his role with the children. He said there are almost 150 kids in Sunday school now, and at first he thought it would be overwhelming, but he has loved stepping up and sharing God's word with the kids. I am so happy!! God is good.

Shadows

When I returned home from Michigan on Friday, after spending a wonderful month helping my cousin, I noticed that a package had arrived in the mail for me. A world-traveling friend of mine sent me a few good books to read. Immediately I starting perusing "The Shadow of the Sun" by a Polish author, Ryszard Kapuscinski, and just a few pages in found words that describe why I am stuck in a time warp.
"The European and the African have an entirely different concept of time. In the European worldview, time exists outside man, exists objectively, and has measurable and linear characteristics.... The European feels himself to be time's slave, dependent on it, subject to it. To exist and function, he must observe its ironclad, inviolate laws, its inflexible principles and rules. He must heed deadlines, dates, days, and hours. He moves within the rigors of time and cannot exist outside them.... An unresolvable conflict exists between between man and time, one that always ends with man's defeat - time annihilates him.
Africans apprehend time differently. For them, it is a much looser concept, more open, elastic, subjective. It is man who influences time, its shape, course, and rhythm.... If two armies do not engage in a battle, the battle will not occur (in other words, time will not have revealed its presence, will not have come into being). Time appears as a result of our actions, and vanishes when we neglect or ignore it. It is something that springs to life under our influence, but falls into a state of hibernation, even nonexistence, if we do not direct our energy toward it.... In practical terms, this means that if you go to a village where a meeting is scheduled for the afternoon but find no one at the appointed spot, asking, 'When will the meeting take place?' makes no sense. You know the answer: 'It will take place when people come.'"
So what time warp am I in? you might ask... well, I really miss the African time in so many ways. How I had time for friends and friends had time for me. I miss the diversity of ministry and I didn't feel bound by the clock to do the Lord's work. Here in North America I am slowly getting back to work at a group home, but I'm confused about where the Lord really wants me to serve. I would love to go back to Africa, but I'm not ready to go tomorrow. And I kind of want to stay home, but I don't feel ready to jump back into the 9-5 work world that we North American's have somewhat created.
I wish I could catch up with many more of my friends, but they seem to be too busy. My days are getting longer because I desire something to do but don't know what or where or when. I want to serve God. I want to love His people. I miss exploring His creation and feel like a hibernating bear in a cave right now. It's probably a good thing we have clocks and deadlines, but I'm feeling like I need to put up my guard when people ask me why I'm not quite working yet. I don't know that answer. I'm still exploring options, praying for peace, and desiring the clear heartbeat that comes with every one of God's directional callings in my life.

Random Refreshment

Tonight I was on the phone with some of my former team-mates from Soroti and it was so good to talk about how we are both adjusting back into life in North America. Nearing the end of the conversation, their housemate jumped on the phone because he had a quote to share with me and now I want to share it with you. (I don't know the original author, sorry.)

"Hope is hearing the melody of the future.

Faith is dancing to it today!"

Livin' it Up in Grand Rapids

Sitting on the floor, watching one of the latest dramas on tv and chatting with my cool cousin helped to pass the time quickly as the two of us worked diligently to take out my African extension braids. I was rather sad about the whole process... (sometimes I felt like it was my last piece of Kenya / Uganda left, but I know that's not true and I really needed to scratch my head.) But with a salon treatment planned for the next day, I knew I could do it.
Judy and I both went to the Salon / Spa today and got our hair cut and styled and our nails painted. Wow, that's a treatment I have never gotten before and it was rather fun. We looked like sophisticated ladies, but giggled our heads of like precious little school girls.

I'm grateful for the fresh cut!! Too bad it won't look like that tomorrow when I wake up. I wish I were better at doing my hair. NOT!
Judy and I have spent some time doing a 1000 piece puzzle so that I could remember Africa while being stuck inside on a cold winter's day.

Somehow, Bones, my teddy bear still manages to travel. He romped on the pond with Emma and Abigail and thought the air was refreshing. Did I mention that Bones and I are in Grand Rapids, MI, staying with my cousin for a while and catching up with old friends in the area?!

But Bones too secretly wishes to be mailed back to Africa to catch some heat waves.

African treats

Precious Abby is in nursery school. Her class has a traveling elephant named Tembo and it was Abby's turn to host him at home. Tembo comes from Africa, so we decided to make him some Mandazi (African donuts) to share with the class. So on Monday afternoon, Abby sported her apron, and I pulled back my braids for a baking / frying session. So fun!
On Tuesday afternoon I went to Abby's class with my teddy bear, Bones, and some of my pictures from Africa, and on a rather spontaneous note, I was given a half hour to entertain 18 preschoolers. To teach them about Uganda, share our yummy snack, and sing songs with them.

I only have two more days with the braids and then my last piece of Africa is leaving me. :( My tan has already disappeared and the memories seem more distant every day. Thankfully I have some wonderful pictures and I also have terrific friends who keep asking me questions to make me relive the time I had there. Dreaming of returning.