Prose
from Steve
September 1, 2008
Dear Partners,
Some thoughts from Steve while I edit my latest 4 page update so that
I can send it out in a smaller, more manageable version! Blessings,
Carol
Dear Partners,
I can't believe they're yellow! I'm sure they were green just
yesterday! The leaves, that is. The winds are certainly gusting
cooler than they were last week; there's a touch of Fall
in the air.
But I looked at my calendar again and it's only August 28th. It's
still Summer. Leaves don't turn and fall in August.
But then again,
I just looked out my window, and sure enough, there's a lot of yellow
waving in the breeze on those branches and a few strays blowing down
the street.
Summers here are cruelly hot and wiltingly humid,
exploding onto the
scene like our region's famous Amur tiger, yet slinking off with tail
between legs like one of the stray dogs that are so much a part of
our life here in Khabarovsk. The flowers in the raised beds dotting
the strip park on
already incongruous leaves are blowing in the wind, lighting on the
beds, and adding mottled yellow to the brilliant reds and pinks and
purples and whites and oranges. I guess it's time to rummage
through the closet and make sure my winter wear is ready just in case
Winter decides to charge onto the scene like Summer
did. (I just
looked up at my calendar again - Yep, it's still August 28th!).
It's moments like this that reinforce for me that Carol and I are far
from the comfortable routine of California and the habits of a
lifetime which allow one to travel through the days on cruise control
sometimes, taking for granted everything from the weather, to work,
school, recreation, family, church and perhaps even God. We can't
do that here, and I think that's a gift from God in our lives. Every
day something different and oftentimes uncomfortable reminds us that
we are in another part of the world with a culture that we try to
understand but often cannot. We wonder why God would send us to this
place. What in the world do we have to offer that a thousand others
couldn't (and better)? We know that we are the most blessed of
humans with the honor to serve Him and with joy from relationships
with the wonderful people of Far East
ambassadors and to love as He loves. We know that often we don't do
a very effective job of it. We often think of some of you and how
you have gifts that would be so perfect here; and we wonder why God
didn't send you instead of us. And then we remember: He did send
you - with us and through us.
Circumstances related to immigration laws are about to disrupt our
routines again. We will soon find ourselves splitting time between
Far East
disoriented, to feel like those leaves prematurely changing and
blowing in the wind. But in the changes, we find our focus is
sharpened. We don't fall into routines; we can't turn on the cruise
control. We must rely on Him to sort out the inconsistencies and the
disconnects and somehow lead us to do what He has planned. And
through it all, there are some reassuring constants: God is the same
always. You are faithful and your prayers and gifts continue through
the changes. There are people here, and in
states whom God loves and wants to reach out to through us (and to
reach out to us through them). We can count on this, and it is
comforting.
We love you all and pray for you often. Your prayers and love are a
constant reminder that God is with us and is taking care of us even
when we feel like leaves blowing in the wind. How great is our
God! Grace and peace to all of you, Steve