Sunday, September 23, 2012

Home

I've been thinking alot about the idea of home this week. As far as time goes, I've been on the ship for four weeks, and it finally feels like it's the normal part of my life. Not that I'm just visiting for a few days, but as much a home as you can be in a 6 person cabin among 450 other people. I haven't written much about day to day life yet, but it's coming tomorrow or Tuesday. I'm trying to collect photos so you can see more. But one thing I've noticed in making this place home is that I don't feel like I can connect without that sense of being settled.



My job in the pharmacy doesn't put me in much contact with other people, other than a daily check of what each ward needs in their stock. I have nurses as friends who have stories upon stories about their favorite patients or the kids who wreak havoc with the games and coloring books, and all my stories involved opening up boxes and counting tablets for inventory. Woo hoo! I actually really enjoy what I do, but as I realize that I only have a month left, I think I expected to be more involved in the direct mission or at least more involved with the people of Conakry than I am. But I also know I've put as much into living here as I can. I think I've spent more energy than I expected to create a sense of home or a sense of settled, and it wasn't until that was established that I could reach out. But then I started thinking of how Jesus said he didn't have a place to lay His head, or how the Bible says this place is not our home-we are aliens to the earth, and I wonder how in the world He ever did ministry in such a nomadic capacity. It took me a month, on a rather comfortable mini-America complete with air-conditioning, to even start processing how to serve and incorporate new people into my life. Granted, I'm not God, but even He was separated from His community with the Father and the Spirit (or at least had a different relationship with them as a human).

So all this is to say, I'm just wondering if we're called to be our own home. And how does community relate to all of this? I have an amazing community in my house church, and my friends, and my family, and all of you, but if I place my home in that community, then does that need for community inhibit me when I leave it and set up a temporary home in a new place? Or is my home within me and the Spirit, and once that's established, then I can be as nomadic or as stationary as necessary? Or is there another option? I hate to think that my first month here wasn't useful in the sense of connecting to the greater purpose of Mercy Ships, and I really don't think it was, but I just didn't expect to require so much in terms of feeling at home. I came here wanting to serve however I'm needed, and I want to leave knowing I've given everything I can and worked as hard as I can.

I'm really excited to learn more about Mercy Ministries here. They're opportunities throughout the week for crew members to visit orphanages or prisons or day care centers and help however needed-play games with kids, lead Bible studies, make crafts, etc. One of them involves helping people learn to bake with the goal of being able to set up a shop in a local market to sell baked goods. I'm really excited about going to that one. I want to visit the orphanage as well, and there's an agriculture site a few hours away. I think they provide education on soil conservation and crop rotation, but I really don't know. I'll give you updates as I get to go.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my thoughts and adventures and leaving comments or sending emails. It's really encouraging to hear from you and to know that you'd take time out of your day to follow what's going on with me. Please know I'm thinking and praying for you as well.

2 comments:

  1. What a great perspective! I would love to read this blog to our HC this work so we can ponder on the same question you proposed. I am so excited that you are getting to know the people and having the opportunity to learn more about you as well as the people you are serving! I love you Beth and can't wait to have you home!!!

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  2. The idea of home, how to feel at home, the intersection of place and identity, has been on my mind so much these past few years. I didn't realize how much Florida felt like home until I left it. But now, I don't think we could ever be home there again (it has become "past-home" I guess). North Carolina isn't home. We have community here, but I don't identify with this place. I think there is something to be said for the idea that we aren't really ever truly "home" here, and we probably are called to a higher concept of home...but maybe there are multiple concepts of home. Spiritual home, community home, place home... Ah, we'll have to have long conversations on the phone when you get back. (I almost wrote, "When you get home..." haha) And now I have begun another book on your blog. :)

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