I was reflecting on another time of transition. What I'll miss, what I really won't miss. What I'm looking forward to and what I'm dreading.
So here's the list as a separate post...please give thanks for the positives and pray us through the negatives.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT BUJUMBURA!!
- Gifts (someone just shipped a great big generator to us!)
- My accountability partner (he's an awesome Kenyan pastor)
- A big house (we'd never live somewhere like this in the UK)
- Our church and cell group (great worship, solid teaching, social action and a supportive, multicultural family)
- Frisbee (I love frisbee...shame I'm rubbish)
- Adventures upcountry (loading the car with supplies for a bumpy trip outside of the city)
- Pool parties and BBQ's (nice weather + little entertainment + some dimplomats = BBQ's and pool parties)
- Warm weather (every...single...day)
- A simpler diet (healthier and low calorie)
- An impactful work life (what I do makes a difference and we get to see that every day)
- Giving my children the opportunity to have broad perspectives (they get some really unique experiences here)
- Movie nights (Back To The Future on the projector...awesome!)
- Students (I love them...and I love watching them respond to our guidance)
- Singing in the Nursery (I have such fun singing 'Old MacDonald Has A Jungle!' with them...jungle noises are better than farm noises)
- Progress (we are making progress...great progress...producing well educated disciples of Christ)
- Standing on top of my car as I pack it (it's just cool)
- Wifi (we are very blessed to have it here)
- Maltis (a very scrummy, fizzy apple drink)
- Wonderful guards and workers (at school and at home we have a wonderful small army of Burundians who keep everything running smoothly)
- Expat community (it's small, diverse and looks out for each other)
- Fruit trees in the garden (fresh oranges and lemons anyone?)
- House guests (new friendships made with guests using our spare rooms)
- My staff (who are awesome and are hungry to help the schoo progress)
- Living near the school (commutes are easy)
- Extra 'uncles and aunts' for the children (the kids have so many adult friends that adore them)
WHAT I REALLY DON'T LIKE ABOUT BUJUMBURA
- Utilities (power and water are off more than on...it's rubbish)
- Barking guard dogs (most nights a call of the wild will go up, setting off all the neighbourhood dogs...including ours)
- Political unrest (elections next year and no one knows what will happen...hope for the best, prepare for the worst)
- Illnesses (lots of nasty tummy bugs etc...)
- Bucket washes (no one likes a cold bucket wash...ever)
- Unmade roads (a novelty at first...a hassle now)
- Mosquitos (the kids eat breakfast in their pj's and socks so they don't get nibbled)
- Uncertain finances (never knowing how the next bill is going to be paid is stressful)
- Suncream (slapping it on everytime we go out...I think my blood type is now Factor 50)
- Terrible wifi (predictive text tried to change that to 'wife'...Ha! Ha!...but she's wonderful but the wifi isn't...we have it but it is soooo slow)
- Noon-day sun (a super-squinty, roasting time of the day...the shade feels glorious)
- Missing good TV (you hear it's happening, but you can't get it...though we do get Dowton :) )
- Poverty (everywhere, every day...and when you get used to it, you feel guilty for getting used to it)
- Langauge barriers (I wistfully dream of living somewhere where I understand everyone and everyone understands me...it would be so much easier)
- Mobile reception (see Utilities and Wifi)
- Scarcity of supplies (sometimes there's butter, sometimes there isn't...and never any Frazzles, unless Becky brings some out)
- Electric shocks (nothing's earthed properly, so frequently we perform that function)
- Ants (tiny, weeny ones that can get everywhere and into everything...including tea bags)
- Living near the school (hard to switch off and get away)
- Not walking at night (wouldn't it be nice to walk around in the evenings?)
- Checkpoints (barbed wire and guns...nice)
- Filtering water (if you don't do this daily chore, no one drinks)
- Getting up at 5am (sunrise are great...occasionally)
- Responsibility (it can be pretty heavy being responsible for so many)
- Pegging bed sheets to the windows (no curtains yet...another daily bore/chore)
WHAT I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SUMMER
- Moving around (7+ beds this summer)
- A busy schedule (furlough doesn't always feel like a holiday)
- Putting on weight (less exercise + insane calories in a western diet)
- Less exercise (it's good for me and miss it)
- Coffee (you do not have coffee in the UK...you have something, but I promise you that it's not coffee)
- Quiet time routines (always go out of the window during the holidays)
- Shopping for supplies (boring and expensive)
- The dentist (she's lovely, but I fear dental work)
- Vaccinations (one the reasons I fear dental work is the needles...)
- Being on 'tour' (we love sharing our mission and vision, but it's kinda hard work)
- Being away form the school during the summer (there's still work to be done and great people needing encouragement)
- Materialism/excess (there's definitely nothing wrong with affluence...but excess?)
- Long drives (the most I normally do here is 20mins...though my American friends don't see the problem)
- Packing and unpacking (starts neat...then gets sloppier)
- Drizzle (yuck)
- Hayfever (yuck)
- Motorways (yuck)
- Dog poo (yuck)
- The Highway Code (so much more fun without one!)
- Mobile phone music on trains (how did we let this happen?)
- Wasps (though having just found out about the wolf spiders living in our lawn, this one now seems less of an issue)
- High class problems (including my own)
- World Cup (managing to avoid it here)
- Short sermons (quite enjoy an hour from the pulpit...as long as it's good)
- Getting comfortable (going back to Burundi doesn't always seem very appealing)
WHAT I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SUMMER!!
- Light evenings (just glorious)
- New Wine (wow!)
- Short break with Allie...but with out the kids (bliss)
- McDonalds (sorry)
- KFC (sorry)
- Dominos Pizza (sorry)
- Kebabs (sorry)
- Superfast Internet (no need to make cups of tea while a page loads)
- Proper chocolate (oh yes!)
- Seeing treasured and much missed friends and family (we think of you often)
- Cricket (a gentle highlight of the summer with Dad)
- Smooth roads (I'm easily pleased)
- Efficient shops and banks (I never go to the bank here without a good book)
- Choice (both overwhelming and refreshing)
- Leisure centres (everybody loves a flume and wave machines)
- Trains (one of my favourite ways to travel)
- Geocaching (look it up...it's awesome!)
- Fishing villages (our Doc Martin box set made me very homesick this year)
- Bike rides (such fun)
- London (I love London!)
- Evening walks (and just being safe at night)
- Duvets (snuggly)
- Mosinet free bed (weird at first, but so nice not to be cooped up)
- Anonyminity (it's really nice to blend in)
- Sharing the highs and lows of this crazy, rewarding, draining, uplifting, challenging, blessing journey good has us on with friends, family, supporters, churches...in fact anyone who pauses for breath.
God Bless,
Jez
P.S. A blog about ditches coming up ;)
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