Transition back from Kenya

We're back in the US, but where do I belong?

It's a tough question, but only one of the difficulties facing returning missionaries.

We find few people who understood the world we came from. They mean well, but their questions reveal how little they know about Kenya and the people.

And I find that even though I've made this transition a few times, some things strike me as so wonderful....and so horrible about my own home culture. It's so wonderful....

....to have smooth roads, orderly traffic, and (mostly) considerate drivers behind the wheel.
....to have modern conveniences, easy access to news, and FAST internet.
...to have a home with air-conditioning, nice furniture, and a comfortable bed.
...to have the convenience of Walmart down the street. Everything I need within a few minutes and not an hour away.
...to have orderly trash pick-up and a society that esteems cleanliness and order.
...to have quick access to all of my sons by phone.

It's so horrible....

...to face the drivel of western TV.
....to face ungratefulness of a society with "everything."
...to be reminded at every turn that we are obsessed with "who is at fault" and victims, rather than understanding God's sovereignty.
...to face the temptation of having Walmart down the street.

I miss my friends in Kenya, the fellowship of the "trenches" of cross-cultural mission work in the hospital, sweet mangos, and the seeing the sunsets over the Great Rift Valley. I miss the simplicity of shopping at the local duka, walking to work in three minutes, and the expanse of the Kenyan sky. I miss helping desperate patients, the daily challenge of surgery on advanced disease, and patients who say thank you with a flat of eggs or a bag of tea. Mostly, I miss being consumed by something larger than myself and focusing on helping someone else.

Thanks to those of you who pray for your missionaries, whether they are "on the field" or struggling to fit in back at home again.