News from Over There....

Tim has been gone for over a week. I miss him. I miss all my children.

I just had coffee with my friend Becky who has moved to the Minneapolis area and now lives within spitting distance of her three daughters. I'm envious of her ability to spend time with her girls any time -- see her grandbabies -- and be a hands-on Mom & Grammie. But I digress....

Our first real e-mail from Tim arrived last Sunday. Apparently the host's idea of showing Tim what it would be like to serve in this particular country was to drop him off at 7:30 am at the local ATM and tell him to not return to the house until 4:00 pm when the host got back from work as it is improper for a single man to be alone in a house with a married woman. So there Tim was -- strange city, strange country, strange language -- and nothing open, no malls, cafes, stores, or schools. It is Ramadan. Tim said he stuck out like a sore thumb -- rather -- he's 6-4 with blue eyes and blonde hair. Very definitely an American with his back pack. He finally found a hotel that was serving coffee to the non-Muslims, so ensconsed himself there, bought an XXL swim suit that was the last one the hotel gift shop had to offer, and availed himself of the pool.

The next e-mail, coming the next day, was more of the same. And that is the way the week was to go except for one day when he was not to return until 6:00.

Apparently his host didn't know anyone -- or care enough about Tim to try and introduce him to other ex-pats who spoke English. He claimed he didn't know any nationals that spoke enough English to communicate.

Finally on the evening before last, he relented and introduced Tim to a person from another agency, and Tim ended up having a wonderful time with this very nice man -- going to work with him, and being shown around in fine style.

God can and will use this experience in Tim's life. We aren't sure how and we aren't sure in what ways -- but we are sure.

He left there at 2:30 am Thursday morning, headed for his next destination. He called me from the airport where he had an 11 hour layover, and we had a very short, but wonderfully satisfying conversation. Just hearing my boy's voice.....

He arrived 24 hours later; was greeted by the young man with whom he will stay, and in less than 12 hours after arrival had a meeting with the "boss man." His two weeks have been all planned out -- even to working with a boys group that very day. He will learn some basic Arabic so he can communicate a little bit, and is thoroughly excited. Today is their "day off" so they are all going to the beach....

We are excited too. While we know that he is constantly in the Lord's care, the mother-heart in me wants someone there for him with skin on.