As to the latest project, while there are still some interior details to finish up, the newest house on Mercyland is now occupied by Joks and Jen. They moved in on Monday night, and are our new neighbors once again. If you recall, Joks and Jen had lived on the Mercyland until they outgrew their tiny neepa hut, when they rented a home located nearer to the Bennett clinic. They are much happier with their new home, with its larger living space, multiple windows, which overlook the lush mountain and the river running below. The land gives their two boys an expansive playground. Everything that is left in the house, such as plumbing water to their kitchen sink, and rolling out the vinyl flooring, and any other little finishing touches, will be done by Joks. As they walked around their new house, they kept saying, it’s so beautiful! it’s so big! With a storage loft above, it can later be finished out to add more space as needed.
In light of all the hustle and bustle, John and I were rarely home at the Mercyland in January. Now that we are back, it feels as though I can breathe once more, or at least catch a breath. We have been able to spend some more time visiting with the Ehelers. Recently, we have taken to eating evening meals together, ‘celebrating’ us, as Theresa likes to say. Celebrating the time they still have with us.
Our leaving will be bittersweet. Having lived here for close to a year now, we have formed relationships and ‘put down roots.’ Our time here is running out. In only a matter of weeks, we will return home. And yet, even the word ‘home’ is strange to me. The longer I live, and the more I travel, and the more I learn about Christ, the more I come to the realization that this place, it isn’t my home. I was made for another world. This world we live in is temporary and will fade, is fading. So if I seem unsettled when I return, it isn’t just a feeling of displacement or readjustment to the American culture. My spirit yearns within me for a perfect world, a place of wholeness. Unbroken.
Where I will not say goodbye. My heart weighs heavy as I think about our pending farewell. I have never looked forward to goodbye. There are so many people that I will miss. And the culture. The brightly coloured jeepnies with their packed out benches, crammed to the bursting with people on their way to market in a vehicle sputtering out foul black exhaust in it’s wake. Riding on our moterbike, getting 80 miles to the gallon, raising my eyebrows in greeting to all the passerby. Bargaining for fair prices in the open market, throwing out ‘best price?’ at the very last; watching their eyes narrow, knowing that you know that they are overcharging you. They scurry off, and come back moments later with a lowered price, and a deal is made. This and so much more.
It is overwhelming and wonderful and sad and exciting all at once, a tumble of thoughts all jumbled in my mind. We are wrapping up our projects, whittling down the list. Two cubos are in the process of being welded together, and when they are complete, all five of the huts funded by One Day’s Wage will have been built. John and the Purok electrician replaced a weak spot in our wiring today, and this enabled us to weld without crashing the power. We are scheduled to meet with DNR – a major step towards getting our permits – and a representative from the power company will give us an estimate on running a private line to the Mercyland. We have received funding which will be put toward installing a private line, giving the land consistent power. All of this is laying the groundwork for the clinic. Please continue to pray for government favor for permits.
All is well here. We have so much to be thankful for on so many levels. We are truly blessed. All praise to Jesus Christ, He who came to serve. Looking forward to the day when He returns to restore this broken world.
originally posted on January 25, 2012
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