Pang'ono, Pang'ono

There's a word in the local language which would describe our adjustment back to African life~pang'ono, pang'ono, or bit by bit. 

Upon our return we have faced several issues which have made our journey back bittersweet. First, the sweet~our teammates Derek, Kristin, and Tim welcomed us at the airport on April 1, late at night. Upon arriving at our house in Makeni we were happy to see that our three cats were still here. Our catsitter, Ben, did a marvelous job caring for them in our absence. Several meals prepared by Kristin and Andrea greatly encouraged us and smoothed our return. Reconnecting with the rest of our teammates as well as Zambian friends reminded us how much we had missed them.

As is often the case there is bitter to life as well as sweet. Returning to Zambia was difficult as we were leaving Tracy's sister and mother. Kathy's journey back to health continues to be a roller coaster ride. Currently she remains in the hospital at Columbia. It's possible she may be moved to a facility closer to her home. Please continue to pray that Kathy would regain strength and quickly recover from the effects of the chemo and radiation treatments.

Our return flight was uneventful until the last leg of it. After we returned home I discovered that my laptop had been stolen in Johannesburg. We're pretty sure when it was "lifted" and have filed a complaint. Pray that God would work on our behalf to either retrieve or replace it. If He doesn't, we ask that He would be glorified through this.

Bit by bit we are getting over jet lag, recovering from sickness, and sorting out electrical and plumbing issues (My washing machine now fills on its own without the help of a hose from the kitchen sink!). We praise God for returning us safely to Zambia, for that is the center of His will for us right now. As a wise person once asked me, "Where else would you want to be?"