Reconciling two worlds...

In a two month period of time, we went from living in rural Uganda in Christian community in a world so unlike we've ever known, to owning a home in a somewhat familiar place in the middle of America. We went from having basically no electricity, few ingredients to cook with, and very simple living to Christmas lights, unlimited ingredients and ways to combine them into yummy dishes, and a job, home, and life that is worlds different then where we were.

I have never quite been able to put to words the things I have been feeling since being home. “How's the culture shock:”, “have you had the grocery store aisle moment yet?”, “what was your most meaningful experience in the past year?” These questions, which are good mind you, have been put before us with little or no emotional response on my end. It seemed like a dream, that where we were and what we experienced occurred in a different reality, and now we woke up and were moving on with life. I have not been content with that thought, but felt like I could respond no other way.

Now that we have been in our house for a month and settled a bit, I feel we are slowly allowing that dream to puncture our reality. We were talking to our friends still in Uganda on Thanksgiving and how to describe our scenario finally hit me. I rarely have 'revelations' of any kind, but this seemed to be one. It was like when we moved into our house, we had boxes everywhere. Slowly Faye (I've been working thank you) has unpacked each of them and put the stuff in appropriate places. But it seems we still have one box in the corner of the room, unopened, for there is no appropriate place to put it. That box is the people and experience of northern Uganda. As we talked to our friends in Uganda on Thanksgiving, heard the beautiful voices of our Ugandan friends there, somethings crept out of that box and brought tears to our eyes.

It may take months, even years to unpack that box. Some things will be able to be unpacked and applied, or at least recognized here. Like Christmas decorations that spend most of their time in the attic, some memories and lessons will only come out every once and awhile. As for the rest, they may be in there forever, with no appropriate time or place here to be unpacked, but will be carried with us to eternity.