It is really great to be part of an organization that supports us so well, especially spiritually and emotionally. MCC headquarters is set up like a retreat center with several modest guest houses as well as a conference center. The grounds are like a campus, very lovely and the embodiment of Anabaptist simplicity. Rebecca and I love to go there as does Oren. The guest houses are brightly colored and decorated in the style of different regions of the world. We have stayed in what Oren calls ‘the blue house’ in the past, and he was very happy to be there again. The only disappointment was that we were not able to take full advantage of the beauty of the grounds or nearby park and playground as the weather was positively frigid! We spent much of our time inside. The fact that the past week has been unseasonably cold around here is doubly difficult for me in that I have recently come back from a place that does not go below 70ยบ at its coldest. But we did have a good time there and had many meetings with our higher ups with regard to our programs. It was very good to feel reconnected to our job, since it is hard to feel exactly what are duties are while we are so far away.
We also wrote many emails to our partners and Zachee to get progress reports in which are due. Everyone was also thrilled to see our newest addition to our family.
From Akron we headed up, on Thursday to Poughkeepsie, NY to see our old friends. It seems almost daunting to try to see all the people we want to see. But we have been doing a pretty good job. We are staying with our friend Heidi Espinoza (from church and small group.) Here is a picture of her with her son Ryan pulling Oren in a wagon. Oren used to love to go to Heidi’s house because Ryan has so many great toys. (Although he has mentioned often how much he wants to go stay at his ‘red house’.) We did drive by our old house on the way in, it looked pretty much the same. I was a bit disappointed to see that the lovely giant peace lily we left on the front porch for the new owners was frozen to death.Here was our itinerary after arriving Thursday afternoon up to now.
1) Thursday evening: Go to Final Showings of the Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre at Vassar. This was an interesting experience for me coming back to a job I used to do. I was not sure how I would feel. Would it be awkward? Fortunately I know the current director Maureen Mansfield Kaddar and she made me feel welcome to be there. The dancers were also very excited to have me there, so my initial concern was not warranted. It was great to see the performance and I am retuning Saturday. The company looks great and it was good to see how well Maureen as preserved some traditions as well as brought new vision to the job as well. The repertoire was very impressive with works by 4 guest artists including Paul Taylor’s Aureole. A dance I performed in an earlier day. The dancers were exquisite and the company seems to have the tribal, supportive, unity that I worked so hard to foster when I directed.
On the other hand, I also felt more than ever, the blessing of realizing that the closing of that door and the opening of the door to mission was truly God’s perfect timing. I was blessed by the time I could serve as director of VRDT, I loved the job, but I realize I am different now, and feel that my passion is for the work we are doing in Rwanda and Burundi.
2) Friday morning: We stopped in on Gerry and Sharon Eagan, some friends from our church, who are old friends. Sharon alos watched Oren when we were here and Gerry had an HO guage train set that Oren talked about in Burundi all the time. Oren really wanted to go their house and visit the train set!3) Friday afternoon: Visited the office at Vassar to say Hi to Joanne, our administrator, than to the Church office where Rebecca worked (Poughkeepsie United Methodist Church) to visit our friends there.
4) Friday evening: Huge potluck at the church. It was a very moving event. A good part of the church was there and we were able to share our experiences with them. It was truly a family reunion. Oren was beside himself with joy! He played with his many friends (the PUMC youth) and charged through up and down the hallways in church for at least an hour pursing or being followed by a herd of kids.
5) Saturday morning: I had a really nice breakfast (conversation) with two of my spiritual mentors—Bruce Hempel and Ernie Shultis. We talked together and caught up. We were all part of the KAIROS prison ministry together. Ernie is working now as a missionary in British Colombia (in an Indian village). Bruce leads a church in Tivoli (Canaan Fellowship). It was very good to be in fellowship with them and share some stories. The KAIROS ministry is something I really miss about Poughkeepsie, and was a real crucible of spiritual refinement for me while I was here.6) Saturday afternoon we visited with Don and Rosaura, some good friends from our small group. (Who may come and visit us and do some work in Burundi.)
7) Saturday evening went back to watch another performance of VRDT
8) Sunday morning: We will share with our church, PUMC, on Sunday morning in two services.
We wil return to Baltimore on Tuesday.
More later, but now David needs a diaper change.
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