Home Assignment | Amy Medina

Taking Inventory

On November 6, 2009

Trying to pack. Bought lots of wooden gifts. Trying to find clothes to pack around the wooden gifts so that they won’t break.

Stared at the closets. Here’s what I found:

Sandals, sundresses, shorts, short-sleeve shirts. Hmmm. Even for California in winter, not going to work.

Grace: two pairs of pants, one sweater. No closed-toed shoes.

Josiah: a few pairs of long pants, one jacket.

Amy: 3 pairs of pants, 1 long-sleeved shirt, 1 jacket, 1 pair of Keds.

Gil: lots of pants (of course), one sweatshirt, one jacket.

Can you tell we live in the land of eternal summer?

Now, before you start worrying about your winter-deprived missionaries freezing to death, my best friend Anne has already been on it, and has quite a collection of clothes for us to borrow. We’ll be fine. Grace will have to sport the socks-with-sandals look for our overnight layover in London, but she’ll be so thrilled that she finally gets to wear socks, that no one will mind a bit.

My main concern is how exactly I am going to pack all those wooden gifts without any padding. Or newspaper. Or bubblewrap. Any ideas?

Back Home?

By Amy Medina

On September 4, 2007

In Other

Our trip home this summer was the first time in my adult life that I have just “visited” the United States. It was an odd feeling—coming back to so many places that I have lived for so long, but only visiting. Like other times we have gone back to the States, I felt “out of it” and somewhat lost… I found myself longing for “home”—here in Tanzania—because here I feel comfortable and settled. I decided that the States is a great place to visit—sort of like Disneyland…I love to go there, but wouldn’t want to live there—it’s too much, too fast, and if you see it every day, it loses its magic. We got our fill of American life and food and entertainment, and even a trip to Walmart was thrilling…everything in one place and all of it so inexpensive!

These were my thoughts while in the States. And then I came back to Tanzania last week, and started feeling the “same old” culture shock feelings (though far less this time), and found myself discouraged with the inconveniences and difficulties of living in a third world country. And so saddened because Grace is growing up without her grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. My conclusions? Life is often just difficult, wherever you live. In the States there is the superficiality and excess and discontent that come from having everything you want. In Africa there are the problems with water and electricity and bad roads. Thus, I will do my best to live contentedly wherever God has happened to put me at the moment, knowing that each place has its joys and sighs. And I long for the day when I will live in my forever home…with everyone I love…and there will be no more sighs.

Anyway, below are pictures of some of the “magic”:

One thoroughly spoiled girl! Grace at her shower.

One of our 8 dessert nights–wonderful times with friends and supporters.

Disneyland with Tim and Autumn (and no kids!)

Crazy Uncle Paul at Bass Lake!

Grace’s absolute all-time favorite toy. That one made it back to Tanzania!

At Hillside’s Family Camp in Lake Tahoe. Grace learned to say the word “dirty” that week!

With Babu and Bibi, Uncle Paul and Aunt Kimmie

On vacation in Sonora, Mexico with the Medina clan

She learned to hold her breath under water…for up to 7 seconds!

Kisses for cousin Maddie!

So many cousins…so little time!

My Newest Trick

By Amy Medina

On July 29, 2007

In Other

Winking on command!

Tumaini

By Amy Medina

On July 29, 2007

In Other

Last night was special. There has only been one other baby adopted from Grace’s orphanage–a little girl named Tumaini (“Hope” in Swahili), who now happens to live in the Bay Area with her mom. I had met Sammye and Tumi a year ago, just as Tumi’s adoption was complete and they were leaving Tanzania–right about the time we were starting Grace’s long process. Sammye had been staying at the orphanage during the time Grace was brought in–so she has a special bond with her and had hoped and prayed for a long time that Grace would be adopted.

So it was with great joy last night that we got together and Grace and Tumi were reunited. It almost feels like they are blood sisters…or about as close to it as we’ll probably ever find. Tumi and Sammye gave Grace a little bracelet like the one Tumi always wears, which is such a special way to connect the two of them. The girls certainly had fun together! It will be fun to keep in touch over the years while the little girls grow up.

Sammye and Tumi