Last Day of School

The kids took off for their final day of school this morning. Instead of doing a happy dance and pouring myself another cup of coffee, I’m finding myself reflecting about this particular school year more than others. Maybe it’s because my kids have had their worlds rocked this year.

The school year began with the familiar. We had been in NC for 6 months prior, so getting back to what they considered "normal" made for very happy kids.

A school they loved, teachers who knew them well, friends who were family. The semester flew by with the understanding that Christmas break would come far too quickly and the good-byes would happen...again. And this time, for much longer than the previous good-byes of a year ago.

Mid-January arrives. A surreal feeling for all of us as we took off on this adventure and a new beginning. At orientation the kids began school of another kind, learning about a new culture, a new language and familiarizing themselves with unknown surroundings, sights and smells.

There were hard days and the periodic question of the first weeks, “Why can’t we just go back to Texas?!” Oh and don’t forget the tears...lots of them...us and the kids...thank you culture shock for what you bring to the table.

Mrs. M, their school teacher at orientation, walked the kids through this time with compassion and love, understanding far too well the changes they were facing head on. During this time, Mo gave her life to Christ. A bright spot full of  joy in the midst of this transition.

Welcome March and April with 5 weeks of village living. We would walk into somewhat familiar territory-homeschooling. We were desperately trying to keep both of the older kids up to pace with the curriculum so they wouldn’t be far behind once arriving in Uka. As it turned out, many days the lessons came in the form of real life situations and looking to God’s Word, not a textbook. 

I know they were stretched, as were we, during their time in the village. What they saw and experienced effected them. I often wonder what they will remember of the village days in years to come. Reading by lantern light in our 2 bedroom bamboo house? Washing in the river? Teaching their village peers English words? Learning new songs in a language other than their own? I guess only time will tell.

Now here we are with yet another school, another time to be “the new kid”. They entered into a semester that’s over half way completed, rules established, routines set and strangely...they were excited. They don’t want the end of the year to come..not yet.

What do I make of all of this...the transitions mixed with excitement? I know it is an answer to the prayers of so many who have prayed for them specifically over the last six months. We have seen God’s hand of protection, grace and His love flow over them time and time again during this process. 

Our kids haven’t had much of a choice when it’s come to this adventure. They didn’t ask to move 10,000 miles away from everything and everyone they knew and loved. And they certainly didn’t ask for so many endings and beginnings in a short amount of time. Welcome to the new life of an MK...missionary kid.

As I was writing this, a few lines of  one of my favorite songs kept coming to mind, Tommy Walker’s “We Will Remember”...

We will remember the works of Your hands. 

And we will stop and give You praise...for great is Thy faithfulness! 

Hallelujah to the One who’s glory has been shown!

Even if all the details of this past school year don’t stick in their overloaded brains or when the memories get fuzzy with time, I hope we can always remind our kids of what God did for them this year.