Amy Medina

The Best Idea Ever

By Amy Medina

On November 1, 2013

In Other

Too much Halloween candy getting you down?

Afraid your children’s teeth are going to rot?

Afraid your own will power just isn’t strong enough?

Do you know deep down that at Christmas you’ll end up throwing out half of it?

Well, have I got a plan for you!!!

Buy a padded envelope. Or two. Or three. Fill with candy.

(Tip: Leave out the chocolate.)

Mail it to your favorite missionary.

It’s a win-win for everybody!

Can I get an Amen??

The Dwarf, the White Witch, Queen Lucy, Queen Susan, and High King Peter

Standing in front of the Wardrobe…at our church’s ‘Trunk or Treat’ last night

(Edmund was obviously kidnapped by the witch, hence the reason he was not there….though my children tell me that we better get a little brother soon.)

On How I Became More Politically Correct

By Amy Medina

On October 22, 2013

In Other

When we were in NYC in September, we took the kids to see the Broadway production of Annie. It was fantastic and our kids loved it.

One of the orphans in the show was a little African-American actress. If I had seen this production ten years ago, I probably would have thought, Seriously? A little African-American girl in a Depression-era 1933 New York orphanage? Like that would have happened. How politically correct can you get? Is that really necessary? [As if Annie is all that historical in the first place.]

But in 2013, all I could think was, I am so incredibly happy that my kids can look up on that stage and relate to one of the characters in a more tangible way.

And they noticed. Oh yes, they did notice.

I used to roll my eyes at this type of political correctness. I was all about racial equality and I had friends from many different races. I spent years growing up in Africa and my boss at my college job was African-American. But the idea of sticking a non-white person into a TV show, book, or billboard (that wouldn’t otherwise have one) often seemed kind of forced, like the publisher or producer was saying, Look how inclusive we are! Like they were going out of their way to be politically correct. I couldn’t understand why it was such a big deal.

Then I adopted three African children, and everything I thought about race started to shift. I started noticing when there were only white characters in children’s books, and gravitated towards the ones that had other skin colors. I appreciated children’s TV programs that included other races. I got irritated that standard band-aids are peach colored.

I know very well that there are African-American adults who don’t approve of white folks adopting dark-skinned children. I am very self-conscious about this. I could care less if there are white people who don’t approve of our inter-racial family. Phooey on them. But knowing that there are African-Americans who disapprove makes me insecure.

I have been the racial minority before; I know what that feels like. I have been racially profiled and possibly even discriminated against because of my race. But I have never, ever been oppressed because of my skin color, nor were my ancestors. In fact, usually my race did the oppressing.

That is the one aspect where I can’t relate to my children. And it is huge. I know that’s why some African-American people don’t approve of our family, because will I really be able to prepare my children for this racial world they are entering? And it does worry me, a little bit.

But let me say this. I have never before been so motivated to try to understand the African-American perspective. I am reading African history, African-American literature. I am working to see the world through their eyes. We are celebrating MLK in this family. I want to know. I want to understand. I want to get it.

And isn’t that the pathway to racial reconciliation, anyway? Understanding? Valuing others as we value ourselves? Getting why it’s so important to have an actress in Annie have dark skin?

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

It’s easy for those of us on the non-oppressed side to think that everything is hunky-dory, maybe we even have a non-white friend, that we are not racist, so therefore we are fulfilling God’s ideal. But are we really trying to understand those of other races? Are we going out of our way to welcome them into our homes, our churches, our lives….to bring about true reconciliation?

I am ashamed that it took me so long to get it.

My children gained a family when we adopted them. But sometimes I think that I am gaining even more.

All I Deserve

By Amy Medina

On October 17, 2013

In Other

You deserve clean bathrooms.

When we were on our cross-country trip, I saw this slogan many times at a particular type of truck stop.

Now, let me get one thing clear: I like clean bathrooms.

But seriously. Do I deserve clean bathrooms? Is this an unalienable right?

I’ve noticed that we as Americans have this obsession with what we deserve.

Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.

Because I’m worth it.

Sometimes you have to forget what you want to remember what you deserve.

I have to do what’s best for me right now.

You deserve a break today.

The change you deserve.

It is completely ingrained in us. Ingrained in me. Down to the basic worldview level, we don’t even realize how deeply we believe this concept until we spend time in another culture.

There were many times in Tanzania when I was forced to come face to face with my deeply held beliefs of what I deserve.

I would get angry when I wasn’t given good customer service, especially when I was paying for something.

I would be infuriated when someone would deliberately cut in front of me in line or cut me off on the road.

I would rant and rave when the power would go out for seemingly no reason.

All of these things happened on a daily basis. Now, it’s true that I would rarely express this anger verbally. But inside, I would seethe. I wasn’t the only one. At our mission prayer meetings, a regular request was for anger issues.

Tanzanians are some of the most friendly, generous, hospitable people I have ever met. But they were a socialist country for 30 years, so customer service is not the norm. Their culture has different rules on waiting in line or what is acceptable on the road.

And I noticed: Tanzanians are rarely bothered by these things. They are content. They are peace-loving. They have been raised to be community-oriented instead of focused on what they individually deserve.

I finally began to ask myself: Why do I deserve customer service? Why I do deserve regular electricity? Why do I deserve to have my place in line?

Because I don’t.

Honestly, I deserve death. I deserve God’s judgment. That’s really all I deserve, and since I’ve been given life and grace, is there really anything else I really need–let alone deserve?

I know there’s a fine line here. I believe in having high expectations in people and helping them do their best. I believe that fighting against injustice and oppression is usually a worthy pursuit. I believe that every person has value because we are created in the image of God.

But. I am seeking to override that mentality that my American society has hard-wired into me: that I deserve relationships that don’t wear me out, opportunity to “follow my heart,” healthy children, “me time,” my own home filled with things that make me happy, vacations, physical beauty, and even clean bathrooms at a truck stop…..and I have a right to be angry when I don’t get those things.

…in humility value others above yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

I’d like to see some American company use that as a slogan.

It’s Tradition

By Amy Medina

On October 14, 2013

In Other

“Are we going to eat my pumpkin?” said Lily. [After all, that’s always what we did with pumpkins in Tanzania.]

“Nope, we’re going to carve them,” I said. “We will put faces on them.”

“Why?” said Lily.

“Because it’s fun!”

“Why?”

Oh, the wonders of American tradition through the eyes of a four-year-old.

You’re right, Lily, it doesn’t really make sense. But doggone it, you’re going to experience the fun things we do in America.

Settling

By Amy Medina

On October 12, 2013

In Other

We moved in two weeks ago. And since our anniversary was last week, that means that it was almost exactly 13 years ago that we lived in this apartment.

Not much has changed. Well, except the rent.

We even are using the exact same washer/dryers that we used 13 years ago.

15 years ago, actually, since I lived in Number 9.

We had left practically nothing in the States. We brought nothing with us from Tanzania except 7 boxes, most of which were filled with gifts for other people.

We had no furniture, no kitchen supplies, no toys for the kids, and no warm clothes.

Yet here with are, with a full home.

Pam gave us a recliner.

Maggie gave us a bed for Josiah.

Gil’s folks gave us a couch from their own house, and Gil’s mom went garage-sale-hunting for weeks.

Nicole snagged us a fantastic fridge.

My parents brought down the bunk bed that my brother had slept in, that my Dad had slept in.

Folks from Hillside gave us bags of warm clothes.

and Valerie wrote to us a few months ago and said, “My Dad just passed away; do you want his furniture?” She gave us beds and a table and and a dresser and a whole kitchen full of supplies.