Skip to main content

Blessings from all sides! Home Assignment: April – July 09


Many people have told me they could never do what I do or they recognize the sacrifices I make to live and serve in Africa- some point out the fact that I have left behind dear family and friends others seem more humbled by the comforts and conveniences I have chosen to go without. To those people I say there may be great sacrifice from your perspective but from my perspective I have simply been doing what I believe I have been equipped and called by God to do and in doing so I am gaining so much (not losing). Also, I try to share the incredible benefits gained from my time in Africa. There are many!

Certainly there are challenges and struggles I face in Africa that I would not typically face in the US but it is worth it for the many lessons learned, the deep relationships formed and the incredible memories made. Some day I hope to share more about this as I believe much of who I am today is thanks to the time spent here in Africa. But for now, know it is these relationships and rich lessons that inspire me when I get to go home for my furlough or home assignment.

Every two years I make the official trek back home. During this time it is my task but more my joy to connect with people and to share how God has been working in and around me through my work and life in Africa through World Concern.

What an incredible honor and joy! For 3 solid months I get to meet up with and build relationship with people I truly enjoy and respect. I spend a portion of my time with family which is always a treat and it requires me to move around a bit. My sister Deanna and her family live in Maui so I ‘have’ to go to Hawaii. My brother Vanoy and his family live in Baltimore so they get me to the opposite side of the country and also allows for a base to make a few east coast visits. The rest of my immediate family is in the Northwest so I am able to see them throughout my time in the Seattle area.

Along with spending time with family I love connecting with my closest friends. Many live in the Northwest but some are scattered in other parts of the country such as Colorado, Tennessee and New York which means more moving about! I always cherish this time with friends- sometimes I only get to share a meal with them but if I am lucky I may get more. However, due to this short time we are good about diving in and being intentional. I feel blessed to have such sweet time with so many amazing people.

When I am not with family or connecting with people on an individual basis I am often doing presentations with churches or groups or I am at our HQ in Seattle working with our staff there. One way or another my home assignment is generally very busy and far from restful but it is a change of pace and change of scenery which is always healthy. I am totally filled up after spending time with people that I so enjoy and yet by the end I am also starting to miss those I left in Africa! Ah, the challenge and joy of having a big heart and many homes!

So, now that my 2009 furlough is officially over and I am back in Africa starting my next term, I would say this: It was amazing; it was more than I could have imagined and it was a gift! I could write pages and pages about the people, places and events that I experienced but I am sure that would get boring so I will just say surely I am blessed. Thank you to all of you that in one way or another invested in me during this time. I am richer for it and I thank God for you!

Comments

Mark and Sarah said…
Hey Tracy!
We're sad we missed you while you were here. We're excited to hear about your adventures in Chad and hope you'll be blogging more now. Prayers are with you from our family.

Sarah
carrie said…
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, with the world.

Popular posts from this blog

WAWA!

I have been in Chad for a month now and I have to tell you the honeymoon is over. Reality has definitely set in and I have to tell you at this moment it is not so fun. I am in the capital city of Ndjamena and I have been here a week now and it is definitely testing my patience. It is not all bad but at the moment as I continue getting settled and discovering how to function here I would say this motto WAWA – West Africa Wins Again!- says it all. I believe very strongly that it is important to celebrate every victory, big or small but I have to be honest. Lately there have been very few victories for me to celebrate. But let me get there in a bit. The first thing I need to explain is that even though Chad is geographically in Central Africa, it is culturally French West African. What this means is a petty bureaucratic approach to education and administration where it is more about giving people position and power than getting things done. So, things are done over and over, and over in t...

A Typical Monday in Goz Bëida, Chad

6:00 Wake up, it’s still a bit dark, there is no power so I turn on my headlamp for light 6:05 Go check to see if the ‘city’ water is on yet- not yet- 6:10 Go boil water for morning tea for me and the guys 6:15 Check again to see if water is on – not yet…. 6:15 Breakfast! Tea + bread and jam or cereal with powdered milk or perhaps an omelet! 6:25 Read My Upmost for His Highest my favorite devotional book and from Bible 6:40 Water is on! Wash up and get ready for the day 6:55 Pack up and leave for the office in one of the land cruisers, 2 blocks away 7:05 Arrive at office hearing the sound of our staff singing French choruses for devotions 7:35 Devotions end and short staff meeting starts 8:00 Meeting ends, greet staff with my poor French, they laugh and I keep trying 8:05 The generator goes on, office is buzzing as field staff prep to go to the field 9:00 Field staff leaves, office gets a bit quiet, managers and admin remain at office 9-12 Work on reports, reply to emails (offline), re...