It's hard to believe it was a little over two weeks ago when we loaded up our 14 trunks/suitcases and boarded the flights from America back to Southeast Asia.
So much has happened in these two weeks it almost seems like we've been back two years!
We arrived back in Yangon on the morning of June 12 and we immediately began the search for a place for our family to live. In the first four days of our arrival we looked at 35 houses or apartments for rent. We had high hopes of finding a place in those early days so that we could quickly get through our company approval process and contract process and get moved in. But that wasn't to be.
Part of our reason for trying to do things so quickly is because of where we're having to stay in the meantime.
We're thankful for a place to lay our heads at night, but it's been challenging none the less.
We're staying in a house that is rented by some other friends who are currently in America. It's nice that it has all their furniture in it, but the problem is that all our furniture is also in it. We've since added our aforementioned 14 trunks/suitcases. So we're living in a maze of suitcases and couches and mattresses and wardrobes and appliances, all kind of stacked up as best as possible in an already small house.
We can't do any cooking in the kitchen because all the appliances are piled in (although I did manage to get the coffee pot into a useable location.) But this means we have to eat out for all our meals - you can only eat PB&J so many times.
There is also only one bathroom/shower available for our family of four which is very trying at times, and in that bathroom there was no hot water. Only cold showers unfortunately... (hopefully this will be fixed soon.)
Then on top of that there are air cons that don't work and there is no internet and other general problems you encounter with a house that's not been lived in for several months in a third world country.
Those first four days were frustrating and discouraging and about as hard as any days we've ever had on the field - oh and did I mention we had jet lag on top of all that?
Let's just heap one more issue on top of that.... I had left my iPhone in the Singapore airport on accident. I won't explain the whole story at this time. Suffice to say it was quite an ordeal but we managed to track the phone from lost and found in Singapore and one of the airlines actually brought my phone from Singapore back to Yangon; only to have it stolen out of our bag the day we finally got it back.
Anyway, it was covered by insurance, so I can get a replacement. It's just going to take awhile to get it here from America.
Thankful for a respite from all those trials, our family flew to Chiang Mai for camp for the girls followed by company meetings. It's been nice to be in a hotel with hot water and a bathtub and internet so we can talk with our family.
It was also nice to step away from our housing search for a little while and we've tried not to think about that pressing issue while we've been away.
It's not like America in our country trying to find a place to live. I think it must sound like we're being really picky to have looked at 35 houses and not have been able to find a place suitable to live. Actually our "want" list is quite small. For instance, we'd like to find a place that at least has electrical lines going to the house so that we can have electricity when possible. We'd also like to have a place with Western-style toilets. (One apartment that we looked at only had squatty potties and when I asked the landlord if we could have Western toilets installed, he said he didn't think it was a good idea.) :)
It would be nice if the place where we live is strategic for our "work" although we've kind of given up that idea and would be willing to live almost anywhere in the city if we could find a livable place for our family.
Also in the back of our minds is the thought that we need a place in our home for our girls to do homeschool.
We'd also really like to find a place we could stay in for a couple years. We don't want to have to do this all over again next year!
So we've been praying.
We've been talking with co-workers and our leadership, and they've been praying.
I know YOU have been praying too, right?
We know the Father has called us to Yangon to live and work.
We have seen the vision of His desire for our city, and we are so excited to roll up our sleeves and get back to the mission.
We are so excited about the potential for GREAT things to happen. We just want to get started already!
Tomorrow we head back to Yangon to resume our housing search. We have appointments set for Thursday and Friday and would you pray right now that Father would open the door to where He wants us to be?
Pray that we would not be frustrated by the challenging situation we're living in right now?
Pray that our family would remain unified and fortified and that these struggles wouldn't divide us or cause friction - especially for our children.
Pray that we are still able to be His hands and feet in the midst of all that we're trying to do.
Pray that we will follow His leading and His direction, and that no matter what, we remain grounded in Him and His word and that He would give us the kind of inner joy that only comes from being in relationship with Him.
He is good and we are still so thankful to be here and be a part of His great work.
Thank you for praying and for partnering with us to see this part of the world come to a saving knowledge of Him!
