Furlough, home assignment, whatever you want to call it. People don’t always seem to know what we do when we’re back and why we come back. So I thought I’d tell you what we’re doing this furlough. While not everyone’s furloughs are exactly the same and even our own furloughs will differ each time, here’s the main things we’re up to this time:
Visiting our Supporters
We’ve been away for 3 years and while we send out emails and blog posts, there’s nothing that can replace actual face-to-face updates. We’re enjoying catching up with our supporting churches and individuals, seeing how God is using them here and reporting to them what we have been up to on the other side of the ocean.
First time giving our report to a church this furlough
Speaking
While most of our speaking is to supporters, it most certainly is not limited to them. We’re willing to share to whoever will hear us! This month we’ll be sharing at the training center to missionary candidates. When we were students here we loved getting to hear from missionaries who were a step ahead of us.
Wearing our African clothes in the States
Time with family and friends
We’re making our way around North America seeing our spread out family. This month we’ll meet a nephew and niece we haven’t gotten to see yet! 🙂
A game of topple with Uncle Nathan and Uncle Jimmy
Refreshment
While we love living in Africa, there are challenges and we want to be refreshed while back here. One of the opportunities the Lord gave us was going to some meetings our mission holds for missionaries on furlough. It was so encouraging to hear older missionaries share how worth it is to do this work, it was great to be reminded we’re not the only ones who live this back and forth life juggling two cultures, and it was great hearing solid Biblical teaching in ENGLISH!! That is something that has really stood out to me since being back, is even though I might be able to follow teaching in French, how much more it speaks to me in my heart language.
The kids enjoyed playing with other missionary kids at the meetings
Schooling
We are so thankful for the time the kids had in French-speaking schools, but both for their English education and because of all of our traveling, we felt homeschooling was our best option this year. I won’t lie, it’s a challenge knowing how much to homeschool day by day, as each day looks different, but I’m also trying to take advantage of all the traveling we’re doing as learning opportunities.
This day we were “camp-schooling”
Our Health
We all saw a doctor the week after we got back and praise the Lord that overall our health is good, just some minor issues. Gracia, however, has very bad vision in her right eye, we’re going to an eye doctor today.
Training
Hopefully at the end of our time here, Cameron will be attending a child safety response training since he is on the child safety team in West Africa. It’s a training he’s been asked to do, but it has never been offered in a convenient time and place, but there’s one being offered in States beginning of May.
So there you have a little glimpse as to what we’re doing while in the States and why we even come back and take time away from being in Africa.
Camping in the beautiful Smoky Mountains between visiting people.
Excellent update