Arriving in Africa Soon

We left mid-Sunday afternoon for Sacramento airport, and are finally touching down in Africa in Ethiopia at 7:45 a.m. Tuesday, Ethiopia time. Our layover is brief (thankfully after a 7-hour layover in Washington D.C.) and just one more 6-hour flight that goes through Lilongwe and arrives in Congo at 2:20 p.m. Tuesday Congo time. It’s kind of weird for me to retrace my steps from this exact same journey just 5 weekends ago under different circumstances, but I come with a joyful heart this time, and am so glad I’m coming with my sweetheart Jaime! On my first trip I sure missed my bride as I sat “alone” (at least not with people I knew, as Josie and Gabe’s seats weren’t right next to mine) but this time I feel complete with my perfect complement and helpmeet and best friend by my side, holding my hand, sleeping on my lap, snuggling, cuddling, eating out with me – it’s like one big date without kids, almost a 2nd honeymoon :) Ok, so the food and lack of sleep and lodging in the African may not be the most romantic, but still … no person I would rather be with than my favorite person on the planet!

We don’t often get to spend this kind of time together continuously, and I’ve calculated we’ll be with each other for at least 120 hours in a row before Jaime flies back Friday, which by then will probably be enough for her :) We will be apart again for nearly 3 more weeks after Jaime leaves while I stay to complete the process, so we’re making up for lost time in advance. To be together without interruptions from kids or distractions from our digital world for a few days is a gift we thank God for.

But of course this is not a vacation from kids – it’s a trip we’re on because we have a heart for kids beyond our culture! A sleep-deprived journey with snoring garlic-breath guys next to you can actually be a blessing in the end because it is taking us to a place where we will get to see kids when we land in Congo, the beautiful kids and people that Jaime has known by face for months, she will soon see in person. She’s especially eager to see a little short kid who just turned 20 months while we were flying to Africa (birthday 2/3/2010)! She got to hear him jabber on the phone almost exactly 4 weeks ago, and now she’ll get to meet him face-to-face and hear him jabber in Swahili in person. Last month was a bitter-sweet month for Jaime and me, and mixed emotions are to be expected, I’m sure, and it’s difficult to know what’s going in this little guy’s mind, but we look forward to this journey with him, whatever that looks like in God’s providence.

Though we miss our other kids in America very much, we are so thankful they are in good hands with my sister Lisa and other friends from church, and we are grateful for this time to bond as husband and wife and with family in Congo, those who are already our family spiritually. Family is a precious thing, I have been learning in many ways in recent days, including non-biological family and spiritual family. Perhaps as soon as Wednesday, one more little guy will become a part of our family legally!