Third Culture Kids

The past two days have been a wonderful mix of excitement and tears. This past term in school we have been studying the US Civil War (I have to clarify since both Joe and Louisa thought we would, of course, be studying the one in South Sudan). We've been reading Fields and Fury, Huckleberry Finn, and the Gettysburg Address. They've read about slavery and war, but it hasn't hit home yet. It is, as if, they are reading about another country. A country they aren't really tied to. Somewhat like Narnia. Interesting, yes but not personal.
In preparation for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, both kids read a book from the library about his life and times. Joe had been exposed before to the Civil Rights Movement in America, Louisa had not. Somehow the book clicked for her. I don't know if she has just now lived long enough in the US to connect with its history or whether the pictures in the book looked more like normal life than the Civil War photos, but she connected. She was horrified about separate water fountains and bathrooms. She kept putting the book down to stare out the window and to run into the other room to find me. "Mom! Did you know that... WHY would people, HOW could people treat other people like that? Is this REALLY true?" Then we all sat together and watched as CNN played the "I Have a Dream" speech. No typed notes, no teleprompter just amazing eloquence and at the end Dr. King turns over the speech and just preaches (the famous I have a dream segment). We watched the thousands upon thousands of people cheer. Then Joe says, "Next they're going to kill him."
Meanwhile, I am fighting my own emotions as I watch my children learn about this country of their birth. They don't yet identify themselves at the heart level as Americans and they definitely struggle with being white Americans. Joe points out how ironic it is that white people see themselves as so different from black people when looking back at the old non-color black and white footage of the speech everyone just seems varying shades of gray. At any rate, to him it is hard to tell the difference.
In the morning, we woke up to nearly 4 inches of SNOW! Throughout the morning it continued to snow, swirling and adding to the surreal feeling of being in a southern winter wonderland. The kids made snow cones with fresh snow and chocolate syrup, snowmen and snow angels. Jazz ran around barking (which is unusual) and scooping up snow with her nose. They all had a marvelous, cold, wet, snowy time. And at last we huddled in front of CNN to watch Obama take office. As Aretha Franklin sang Louisa perked up, "Hey! I think I know this song!" I just roll my eyes and sigh. We watched Obama's graceful handling of Robert's transposition of the oath. I just roll my eyes and sigh. And then my children are jumping up and down, "Obama is president! Obama is president!" "FINALLY, an African is president!" As we all calm down (no small thing with four children) and listen to his speech, I am most touched by his reference to America as a patchwork quilt. The point that unified and reconciled our very real differences make something both useful and beautiful. I look at my children, still in the midst of figuring out who they are and where they belong. My hat goes off to President Obama, a third culture kid himself, for what he has endured, for what he has become and for who he inspires my children to be.

Letting go...

I am reminded today that our adjustment this year is not just about figuring out how to negogiate life in the US, but a continual realization that we are no longer involved with Christ School. A daily letting go of the school, students and staff that occupied much of our waking hours and (some of our sleeping ones too!) over the last 10 years. Today the team in Bundibugyo travels over the mountains to a nearby safari lodge to pray, play and plan for the future. These were always good times for us as a family. A chance to get away from the daily bustle of life and re-connect with our team, discuss our vision for Christ School, hear what other's on the team were hoping and dreaming for the various ministries and people with which they were involved. It was a time to dream, to connect, to push forward towards a sometimes different future, a different stage in the establishment of the school. A time to talk of big changes and small ones, a time to celebrate the victories of the past and take deep breaths and hear encouragement for the things that didn't quite go as anticipated.
So there they are this year dreaming and planning. And here we are uninvolved. The truth of our "handing over the school" feels harder this week somehow. Not that this planning retreat makes it any more true than it was when we said goodbye and left last Feb. We do believe that the Lord brought us to BGO to start Christ School, to use our particular strengths and gifts at that particular time and for those particular students and staff. And we also believe that He brought the Pierce's for this next particular time in the school's history. We hold both these truths in one hand and yet our sorrow about letting go and turning over the school in the other. Today the tension is greater than it is many days.
We need your prayers not only for the planning that will be happening over the next few days by the team in Bundibugyo, but also for us to continue to trust that God knows what He is doing and that ultimately it is His school anyway. We remain thankful for the part we got to play and look forward to His plans for our future.

One question...

As we process more specifically about our future.... (since I keep saying to people, "pray for us to know what to do next year" and Kev keeps reminding me, "Uh, it would actually be THIS year.") this question keeps popping into my mind:

Where and how can I best show reckless and extravagant love? Which I guess is actually two questions.

Please pray for us.