Asia to Africa

Six years? I'm not even going to say time flies. 


Six year ago this month, our family moved back from Asia with 3 minis and 2 more itching to be born.


Asia, specifically China, was such a big part of our lives for many years.


That is where Jon and I met as 19 <gulp> year olds.

Our first act of adventure together, shaving his head! 

This Qiang (chung) Chinese lady let me wear her feisty outfit! Isn't she pretty?

So from the time my Sweet and I started our relationship, we knew we were headed to China. 


I so clearly remember the feeling at the airport that day. Our families were there, sniffling and hugging. I sort of felt like a jerk because I just couldn't stop smiling. It felt like we were on this big adventure with God.


We did our thing trying to reach an Unreached People Group. 


Also, we kept having babies.

With our dear friend Steven the week we returned to America.

But after a few years, instead of raising our kids in a foreign city, doing mission work, we found ourselves living in SmallTown, Michigan raising potatoes. 

Which we love. And have been doing for 6 years.

What brought all this blathering on?

Last night as I was smearing my son with lotion, <No, it's not girl lotion. It's for anyone.> I caught a glimpse of the bottle and went:

Really? Still?

I don't read Thai. However I do know the word for bathroom: Hong Nam. 

Oh yeah.

This started me on a treasure hunt. And I only came up with a dozen or two things sitting around the house that we brought back with us. Including a giant blue butterfly serving tray, a few electric company receipts (?), a Chinese NT and this awesome scroll of all the different people groups in China walking to Jesus.

Is that not awesome? And there is no way I'm fixing that R.

China will always have a special place in our hearts but God is doing something new in us. He is giving us a passion for another country.

Uganda, Africa.

At first I was hesitant to love any other place as much as Asia.

But God won. He always wins.

Now we have dark skinned baby dolls laying around our house and a painting of an African lion on our wall. We have brightly colored bags and many a bead necklace. We have a Ugandan flag. Somewhere. 

photo: wikimedia

God is good the world over!

And it's so exciting to see what he has up his sleeves for us this time!