Friends... already??

While we were preparing to come to RVA, we looked forward to the community that we would have here.  One hundred adults living on a school compound, with the same goals and vision; we knew we were bound to have some friends and not feel lonely or isolated in Kenya.  BUT, I (Heather) also set my expectations rather low, and expected some tough times until those connections really formed.  Or maybe I'm just skeptical because it took two, three, four years, to make friends (or to know anyone!) back in Woodland Park.

Let's just say I was more than pleasantly surprised last week, and the Father blessed me more than I could have ever expected in just the first week of school.  Here's the story:

Monday: first day of kindergarten for Faith.  First day of teaching at a new school for Jim.  Big changes for our family.

Friday: my birthday, away from the extended family and great friends who often helped me celebrate it.

Well, Sunday I was not feeling so great, and by the time the evening came, I was bed-ridden, with a fever and other unpleasant side-effects of traveling in a foreign country and drinking the water and eating the food... you get the idea.  Monday morning was worse.  Jim sprang to action, and so did everyone else.  A neighbor took Faith to school (she didn't miss a beat), came back to watch Joel and to help me get my house help and yard worker set up for the day (their first days too).  Another mom picked up Joel for the rest of the morning, our neighbor went back to pick up Faith at lunchtime.  A long-time staff here brought me medicine, Sprite, a heavy comforter, and checked in every hour or so, and the whole staff prayed for me at chai time (morning break).  Faith went to a friend's house in the afternoon, Joel napped here and was picked up again for playtime until Jim could get home.  Another long-time staff family brought Jim and the kids supper.

I hadn't worried about a thing all day long.

Tuesday and Wednesday I slowly recovered, and was feeling great by Thursday, which brings us to part two.  One of the single gals who has been here a few years, who also joined us at ABO, invited our family over for supper, along with another family who we've really gotten to love.  She fixed a fabulous dinner and surprised me with birthday brownies and ice cream!  Then the dads and kids left and in walked all sorts of wonderful women!  They showered me with cards and little gifts and love.  And Sarah had even more in store: homemade ice cream for the ladies, which is a huge treat here.  It was such a blessing to have her work so hard to honor me, and for other women to take the time to celebrate a newcomer too.  It was very humbling... much more than I ever expected.

Friday, the real birthday, was just as wonderful.  I had people drop by all day (something I love...) with more cards, flowers, little gifts, and many encouraging words.  Even a hand painted card from the new art teacher.  And a package that we had been expecting for a while arrived with perfect timing!  We were invited to dinner at the staff chaplain's house, where we had a wonderful meal and delicious cake.  Faith went off to an ice cream social with the elementary schoolers, while the three of us stayed and chatted and were loved until it was way past bedtime.

I honestly thought that birthdays were something that might not be too celebrated at RVA among the staff when life gets busy here and the focus is on the students.  Jim had asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I told him I just didn't want to be lonely.  Without Jim doing anything, this is what God provided for me.

While there are plenty of challenges:  getting food is always an ordeal, our cookie sheets seem to burn whatever is on them, I forgot to pick up Faith from school on Monday (picture day... which I also forgot), we have no idea how to budget, but there's always plenty to buy, and there's always that much more to learn; we are also very aware that this IS the place the Lord has made for us, and while we will stumble through for a while, we have been shown, very clearly, that we will be LOVED.