Many people suggested the weather would be trying. Yes, it is sticky hot at times, but our bodies have adjusted sufficiently so that anything below 30 degrees begins to feel chilly. Others suggested the nasty bugs would be the most difficult. Pulling a scorpion out of baby Jeremiah's mouth was an astonishing mothering task, but God protected both him and me. Still others worried that the food would be a problem for us. Our diet has changed, but we have always been willing to try new foods and our children aren't picky eaters. God has blessed us to face these difficulties with grace and we acknowledge the prayers of family and friends regarding these and other challenges..
Recently I have discovered what is the hardest part of being here. It is the inability to be with family through difficult times. When we left we knew we would be missing out on big family and friend events - births, birthdays, weddings. . . . While it was disappointing to miss these, we knew we could come back to celebrate and enjoy these changes in life. What I didn't count on was people dying. Two extended family members have unexpectedly died while we have been here. Getting together with our family for the funeral, remembering the loved one, encouraging and comforting each other, and reconnecting again with aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, this is how we find a peace at the end of a life. Together we gain a grander view of God's plan our lives within generations of our family. It is hard to have been so far away from our family at this time. However, we know this is the place where God wants us to be right now and that is a comfort to us while we miss our family.
While we grieve the loss of family, we rejoice that they are in heaven, and we strive to do well our work here in Arriaga.
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