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Published: August 5th 2007
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18 As I look back over all these blogs, I got to noticing that we are always giving you the "good news" and the "good picture" of what life is like in the mission field, which is 90%!o(MISSING)f what we encounter day to day. It's also what shares the smiles and the stories of what we face and experience while we are here. But to be fair, to be honest, there are bad days, even bad weeks sometimes as well and you wouldn't fully understand the whole picture if we didn't share those with you too.
Living in a foreign country brings forth a host of different obstacles, from the frustration of not fully understanding the language at times when you really need to know what someone is saying, to just the craziness of a completely different culture, traditions far from what you are used to, and then there's the roads in a hustling busy town with no traffic regulations, a corrupt government, but to select from the list of hardships
or what I would call more along the lines of simple struggles, there's one that supercedes them all. It is the hardest part of serving as a missionary. It's simply being away from and missing your family and friends back home.
It's something you know that you're going to face when you make the choice to come, to Go unto all the world, requires one to leave those that they love. This is our greatest struggle, but its something that you get by day to day without letting frustrate you too much.. Today with the inter-net and cheaper lines of communication we are very blessed by having the capability to at least talk back and forth when we get a chance to. But there's nothing that replaces the feeling sometimes of a good warm comforting hug from mom or dad or Nanny & Papa... not to mention your own children or grandchildren on their behalf...or Brother or Sister.....The kids I think struggle with this more than we do, but its something we all struggle with in our own way. They ask weekly about all their grandparents and sometimes cry when they get to thinking too much about how much
they miss them.. I can't tell you how hard it is to hold them and comfort them and convince them not to cry when you yourself want to cry right along with them.. For a parent, as a mother, this is very difficult.
In some ways its like dealing with a death of someone near you, only not to that extreme. You don't dwell on it daily but it sneaks up on you at the oddest of times and you just miss them and cry. Usually on special dates or events... Mother's day, Father's Day, Christmas, or any other holiday... This week its a special week for me, because of a baby that's about to be born...
My little brother (my only brother) and his wife Jessi are due to deliver their first child sometime this week. The due date has come and past, and they are waiting.. for the arrival of their little girl, which they will name Karis, my first niece.... the kids first cousin... on my side of the family... And I am struggling with not being there. Mostly due to selfish reasons wanting to hold and see the baby, wanting to be there for
my brother, but more so than anything and this is what's hurting so badly, is because I knew if my mom were still alive, she would be right there by their side the entire time and stay to help and allow Jessi to take naps and wash dishes, just the way she was for me with the birth of all three of my babies.... I know mom would be there, but she can't be. I've cried, I've been loosing my hair... (don't know why stress does that to people). But this is hard. This is a tough week. One of the hardest since we have arrived, and I really just need your prayers to be honest with you.
It's not always glorious to live and work in a foreign country, you find the good and cherish the good through all the bad that comes your way. You honestly have to set in your mind a target date to get to, that will comfort your longing to be home, you look forward to that rest in the arms of those you love, you mark your calendars and countdown to the next time you will be home again. It's 6 months
away, and then 4 months away, and then 2 and so on... until that time arrives where you know it's just around the corner. For us that time is called our furlough. And right now, it's just around the corner....
It's probably the most expensive thing a missionary family does all year, due to the cost of the airline tickets. But it is what gets you through working day in and day out all year long. We had set coming home for September '07, which will be our 1 year mark here in Tanzania. We began writing and asking for some help in this area to cover just the plane tickets and this month we received just a few emails saying that some wanted to help and then we received another email this week, of all weeks, with the suggestion that due to the cost, we should wait until Sept. 08', for two years to pass before returning home.
The thought of not seeing Karis until she was over a year old, walking and already talking.... started coming to mind. Then came the instant tears.... I just wished everyone understood how hard being away from family for this
long can be. I know the money will come in, and I know that God's timing is not our own, but this week has been hard on me personally on several different levels, and through the sleepless nights and tears I am still thrilled to be here working and serving in east Africa! We will continue to work and continue to press on, continue to raise the funds to return home, just for a relief visit and for Brent to be able to report on the work to all those who are supporting and sponsoring us to be here. It may not be in September, but in God's time it will come. We miss you all just as much as we do family. So I am asking for your prayers for the funds to come in as well, as for my nerves to be calmed... through the whole process.
This week is coming to a close and we are looking forward to many good things to come. Next week working with the nursery school, teaching classes, I have several studies set up and we have finally set up a study with Judy the third teacher there at Hannah's Nursery
Teaching Swahili Phonics..
Teaching the kids is really helping me to learn my swahili as well....school... If she comes to the understanding of the truth and obeys it, then all three teachers there will be new Christians. That my friends is very exciting!
I am sorry this report is not all full of cheer and good tidings... but for this week, when I have be struggling with so many different emotions, and I really needed encouragement from home....
In Christian Love & Service,
Julie Richardson
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just ken
non-member comment
You need a furlough-THIS SEPTEMBER
Girl keep your lip up. Not everyone has been to Tanzania, and sold all and left all, if we can read this blog this week and not get some money up for the Richardson family then we are all thinking to highly of ourselves safe and comfortable here at home. I'm getting on the phone TODAY. God bless you. just ken