End of the year craziness; reflections on the year

Yesterday was the last working day of the fiscal year. When you work with the federal government, everything works according to the fiscal year (Oct 1 - Sept 30). FY06 is now officially over. Hallelujah! That is definitely reason to celebrate. We had our annual audit with the feds yesterday. The audit itself went very well and I'm pleased with the outcome. At the end of the day Dan and I were scratching our heads, wondering what their recommendations actually were. But that's a good place to be because they didn't have much negative to say; they mainly told us we were doing a good job. So, considering the fact that I'm now responsible for the entire grant, I'm very happy with the outcome. What a great way to end the year! But now I'm exhausted and am in dire need of some R&R....

This last year really has been one full of transitions. As I think back on it, it's amazing that we all made it through. Last October started with our annual new R&P directors/staff training - that's always a lot of work. Amy was new at the time, so I had to teach her what needed to be done in terms of logistics. Then at the end of October I got the offer to go to India - and all that craziness began. Running around and preparing for a deployment in a very short period of time; trying to find people to stay in my house and take care of Chloe; getting my staff ready to hold down the fort while I was gone for 6 months; getting all of my health checkups and immunizations; realizing that I had no one to stay in my house because one housemate was graduating grad school, getting married and moving out of state, while the other was afraid to stay in my house by herself; and then God provided Anna from my office at the very last minute. Instead of commuting from DC on a daily basis, she just stayed at my house. What an answer to prayer that was! Praise God!

And then there was India. Wow. I was in India from beginning of December through the end of May 2006. I had a trip through Geneva both before and after India.

As crazy as the whole thing was, India is just what I needed. After being back in the States for 5 years (without going overseas at all), I was starting to feel like I was stuck - wondering if I would ever get back overseas again. I get restless. Like I need to prove to myself that I still have the ability to get back overseas - that I'm not losing that part of who I am. I remember feeling that way at Wheaton. By the time I finished Wheaton in 1998 it had been 7 years since I had been overseas and it was driving me nuts. I had been restless and antsy for most of my time there. But I remember telling myself for years that I needed to finish college before heading back overseas - and that's what I did. As soon as I finished my obligations, I got an internship requiring me to go to Germany to finish out my studies. That's when I did the internship at the American Embassy in Bonn...and then I wasn't ready to go back to the States, so I stayed on, in Bosnia.....So it appears that I may have a 4-5 year itch....but I think it's bigger than that. God created me to be who I am - he allowed me to have parents from different countries. I think he has a purpose for that in my life - that's why he keeps allowing me to go overseas.

But, I digress. India was amazing. India couldn't be more different from the U.S. The whole experience was eye opening. This was the first time I lived in a country outside of Europe. Before I had lived in Germany and Bosnia; and traveled all over Europe. This was my first time traveling to Asia - and my first time living in Asia. Europe and the U.S. are not that different. At least for me, culturally, they don't seem that different. But maybe it's because I've grown up in both cultures. Living in Europe in general is not that much of an adjustment for me. Delhi was polluted, loud, crowded. It was weird coming back through Geneva after Delhi. Geneva in contrast is quiet, clean, orderly. Everything Delhi is not.

In India I experienced real hospitality. I experienced God's people reaching out and embracing me; I experienced their love. I immediately became their family and they took care of me. It's amazing to be on the receiving end of that kind of grace. I am so incredibly thankful. Rabi and Priya are my family. Edwin and Indira; Sushma and Laz; Jennifer; Nina...

The work at UNHCR India was amazing. Don't get me wrong, it was A LOT of work. I was working long hours and weekends much of my time there. At the end I was pretty burned out and tired. We were always operating under deadlines and trying to meet unrealistic targets. But, the work itself was really interesting. I got to see the inner workings of a UNHCR office; learn how they operate, what their challenges are; and most importantly, work with refugees on a daily basis. Words can't express what that was like. There were days when I was rejoicing with them when they were ecstatic that they were being interviewed for resettlement, after being a refugee in India for 20+ years. There were days I wanted to cry with them when they were telling me about the painful events leading up to their flight from their home country: rape; imprisonment; family members being killed in front of them; persecution for teaching the Bible or for being involved with pro-democracy political parties. It made me realize over and over again just how fortunate we are to be living in the U.S. - how fortunate I am.

When I wasn't working, I traveled. I saw the Taj Mahal at sunrise - it was breathtaking. I traveled to N. India, to Dharamshala. That's where the Dalai Lama lives - that's where the Tibetan government in exile is. After 22 hours on an Indian train, I went to Bombay (Mumbai) for an Indian wedding. What a blessing to see one of my WR colleagues get married. I also saw the non-urban side of India. Dharamshala is in the mountains and although a tourist destination (because of the Dalai Lama) I got to see a quieter side of India (Dharamshala is really more Tibetan than it is Indian). For Easter I went with Priya and Rabi to a Christian retreat center near Nainital. It was some of the most relaxing time I had in India (besides Dharamshala, which was the most relaxing). Nainital is beautiful and we had a great time walking around the woods, relaxing and shopping.

My time in India was so meaningful and intense that in some ways I didn't want to come back. Honestly, it was a hard decision. Frankly, I didn't like Delhi. I don't like polluted, noisy, crowded places. One article described Delhi as "The Rude City". I prefer the opposite. And India has many places that are the opposite of Delhi: beautiful, quiet, relaxing. I learned a lot from my experience in India - and got to do once in a lifetime types of things - so it was hard to bring that time to an end.

After my time in India, I headed back to Geneva for my debriefing. Then R&R, with Tatiana in Italy. She flew into Geneva and after my debriefing was over, we rented a car and drove south. We spent one night in the Italian Alps. That was amazing! We both decided we could have stayed there a while longer. Then we headed to the Italian Riviera. Cinque Terre was the highlight for me. I loved it. I loved Italy in general. That's one place I really want to go back to.

Re-acclimating wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I'm STILL re-acclimating in some ways (almost 4 months later). Coming back was a flurry of activity. I only had about 4 days from the time that I got back to the time I had to go back to work. I spent that time trying to get another U.S. cell phone, getting the internet hooked up at my house again and fighting with the people at Customs over a bag I had shipped. It was crazy.

Going back to the office wasn't any less crazy. My first day back, I found out that Joe had been offered the U.S. director position - and he accepted it. It was a great opportunity and fit for him. But losing the person who had been doing my job the 6 months while I was gone was hard. And the timing was even harder. But it could have been worse. He could have been offered the position while I was in India.

The last 4 months have been a big blur. I got back to the States the beginning of June. During that time I got my house and bills back in order, wrote our annual proposal (without the help I've had in years past), took on additional responsibilities at work (have a new job title, role and got a raise), took on supervising an additional staff person and the 4 people that report to her. I got to participate in World Refugee Day in DC; speak at a federal Public Hearing about my experience in India and about the Material Support issue; interviewed tons of people to replace Joe; hired Scott from one of our U.S. field offices; met with Sasha to help her prepare for her deployment to Delhi; went to Seattle to monitor 2 offices out there; did performance evaluations; started discussions about doing international refugee processing; and finally, completed our federal audit yesterday. And that's just work. Also, 2 new housemates moved in during September. Phew!!!

This has been one very full year. I ended the year by relaxing in my livingroom. Kristina, Leighanne and I watched a movie and I treated myself to pizza and a glass of the wine I brought back from Italy. This was the perfect way to end an eventful year.

Indescribable!

My housemate L. brought home this great DVD, called "Indescribable". It's about God's creation - and just how amazing and powerful God is. Sometimes it's easy to forget that - we get caught up in our own lives - in our own little worlds and forget just how awesome our Creator really is.

Louie Giglio, the speaker, shows some amazing pictures of the universe - taken by the Voyager and the Hubble space craft. The pictues are just beautiful and breathtaking. What an amazing God we have. A God of power and beauty and majesty. The psalmist says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands" (Psalm 19:1) and, "In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands" (Psalm 102:25).

The sermons by Giglio can be found on http://www.northpoint.org/messages. Towards the bottom of the list of sermons are two sermons by Giblio, entitled "Significant Insignificance" and "Astronomical Grace". You can even view it in Flash Video if you click on the "F". But if you want to get a good view of the amazing pictures, you may want to consider ordering the DVD or borrowing it from someone.

Perhaps this series is named after the recent Chris Tomlin song, "Indescribable". The lyrics are as follows:

"From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God"

Books!

A couple of years ago I made a New Year's resolution to finish the books I started reading. I have this terrible habit of reading 1/2 dozen books at the same time and not finishing some of them because they don't hold my interest long enough for me to finish. So in an effort to actually finish the books I've started, I'm writing down all of the books I've read (and will try to finish):

2005
"The Trouser People" - Andrew Marshall -- FINISHED
A witty account of life in today's Burma, Marhall casually weaves relevant political and cultural history
"The Middle of Everywhere: Helping Refugees Enter the American Community" -
Mary Pipher -- Started the book, didn't finish; "Anecdotal and moving study of some new arrivals to the United States."
"We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda" - Philip Gourevitch -- FINISHED; "A history of the 1994 Rwanda genocide, in which longstanding enmity between the Tutsi and Hutu tribes resulted in the murder of hundreds of thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus by the extremist Hutu majority. Gourevitch contrasts horrific eyewitness accounts told by Rwandans with the muted responses of the rest of the world. He also assesses Rwanda's prospects for the future and contemplates what lessons humanity can learn from this hellish chapter in history."
"The Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky" - Farah Ahmedi and Tamim Ansary -- FINISHED; "Farah Ahmedi is born into the world just as the war between the mujahideen and the Soviets reaches its peak in Afghanistan. Bombs are falling all over her country, and her native Kabul is swelling with hundreds of thousands of people looking for homes and jobs. The sounds of gunfire and fighter planes are as normal to Farah as the sounds of traffic or children playing are to a schoolgirl in America. When Farah steps on a land mine on her way to school, her world becomes much smaller than the dreams and hopes in her heart. She begins to learn — slowly — that ordinary people, often strangers, have immense power to save lives and restore hope. The Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky recounts an epic journey. It deftly interweaves a childhood in Afghanistan, where the classrooms are naked chambers with only chalkboards on the walls and are filled with more students than seats (and no books), with an American adolescence, where teenagers struggle to decide whether to try out for school plays, whom to take to the homecoming dance, and where to go to college. In Kabul, they cancel school because of rockets and bombings; in Chicago, Farah might have a snow day. In Kabul, a schoolgirl wears a black dress and a white headscarf; in America, girls need the right jeans and trendy tops. Thanks to a number of good people who crossed her path at critical moments, Farah is thriving. She may be haunted by her past, but she is no longer enslaved by it. She is actively enjoying the realization of her childhood dreams; she's an Afghan American, free to learn, work, support herself, and choose her own path. She'll graduate from high school soon and is being recruited by some of the best colleges in the world. Farah is living proof that not only can the human heart endure, it can also thrive. Even in war, there are miracles. Even when limbs are amputated, we are whole. Even in refugee camps, dreams come true. Even when fathers and siblings die young, there is love. The Story of My Life is our new great American memoir."
"Inside The Kingdom: My Life In Saudi Arabia" - Carmen bin Ladin -- FINISHED; "One of Osama bin Laden's many sisters-in-law speaks out about life within the fabulously rich fundamentalist family. Carmen was an independent-minded daughter of privilege from a half-Persian, half-Swiss family. When she married Yeslam bin Laden, an older brother of Osama, in 1974, she had no idea how much her entire mode of existence would change. Living in Saudi Arabia meant that she was mainly restricted to her home, and was forced to cover her face and body completely whenever she did get to go out. Her three children meant nothing to her husband because they were daughters, not sons. Finally, when she could no longer bear the constraints on both her daughters and herself, Carmen managed to escape to Switzerland with her girls and file for divorce in 1988, only to have her last name become universally reviled in the West after the events of 9/11."


2006
"Waking the Dead" - John Eldredge -- FINISHED; "Eldredge, who helped to redefine the Christian men's movement with Wild at Heart, broadens his scope to offer this more general spirituality title on being "fully alive." Such a state of total animation is achieved only when Christians can integrate all four "streams" of their lives: discipleship, counseling, healing and warfare. (This last part may surprise some readers, but Eldredge insists that awareness of spiritual warfare actually "may be the most critical" aspect of being fully alive.) Throughout, he argues that there is glory hidden in each Christian's heart, an echo of how Christ has "ransomed and restored" every person. The goal, then, is to capture and maintain a sense of liberation from that restoration. Eldredge fans will find that he has not departed much from the formula that made Wild at Heart so successful; he culls examples from popular culture (The Perfect Storm, The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz) and tells vivid stories from his own experience. Despite the careful formula, the book rarely feels formulaic; it has an unguarded heart and an opinionated lucidity that may surprise readers. Eldredge is honest about the fact that life can be arduous, confusing and filled with despair, but he also affirms a deep Christian hope. Established Eldredge fans will be pleased with this new offering, and it will gather some new readers, especially women."
"The Kite Runner" - Khaled Hosseini -- FINISHED; "At a time when Afghanistan has been thrust into the forefront of America's collective consciousness ("people sipping lattes at Starbucks were talking about the battle for Kunduz"), Hosseini offers an honest, sometimes tragic, sometimes funny, but always heartfelt view of a fascinating land."
"Freedom at Midnight" - Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre -- "On 14 August 1947 one-fifth of humanity claimed their independence in India. But 400 million people were to find that the immediate price of freedom was partition and war, riot and murder. In this reconstruction, Collins and Lapierre recount the eclipse of the British Raj and examine the roles enacted by, among others, Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Mountbatten in its violent transformation into the new India and Pakistan. This is the India of Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Gandhi and the last viceroy, Mountbatten." -- Currently reading
"A New Kind of Christian: A Tale of Two Friends on a Spiritual Journey " - Brian McLaren -- Took a break from it; "This book is, quite simply, brilliant;” "This is a book that heightens the depths and deepens the peaks. Like all the best things in life, it is not to be entered into lightly, but reverently and in the fear of a God who is waiting for the church to stop asking 'What would Jesus do?' and start asking 'What is Jesus doing?'" (Dr. Leonard Sweet, E. Stanley Jones Chair in Evangelism, Drew University, and bestselling author of Post-Modern Pilgrims, SoulSalsa, SoulTsunami, and AquaChurch; coauthor of A Cup of Coffee at the Soul Cafe)"Get ready to wake up your spirit and breath deep. McLaren's A New Kind of Christian is a street-level, lived excursion into this present millennium-a world where ministry by control, condescension, and smug certainty gives way to incarnational faith." (Sally Morgenthaler, president, SJM Management Co. and author of Worship Evangelism)"McLaren's courageous and honest reassessment of our cherished customs and cliches stimulates creative thinking on these vital issues. A New Kind of Christian is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in preparing the church to be vital force in the next generation." (Chuch Smith, Jr., senior pastor, Capo Beach Valvary Chapel and author, The End of the World As We Know It)"...an engaging tale..."
"Fast Food Nation" - Eric Schlosser -- Currently reading
"Through the Gates of Splendor" - Elizabeth Elliott -- Currently reading

2 new housemates and a new staff person

It's been a busy week! L moved into the house on Saturday and K is moving in tonight. Then I will have a full house once again. :) Actually, it's been a while (since last fall) that I had this many people in the house, so it will be an adjustment, but I'm looking forward to it. K and L are both nice girls and we have good conversations. I doubt that we'll be lacking on great fellowship times.

I also finally completed the process of hiring someone to replace J. Thank God!! S. will be starting at the end of the month. It's nice to have this taken care of. It's never easy to hire new staff - it takes a lot of time, energy and prayer. In this case I spent 2 months interviewing. That's a long time - and a LOT of interviews. But God is good and he had me wait until the right person showed up. S. didn't apply until very late into my interview process. But he's an internal candidate, has 6 years of field experience, seems to be a man of God and has good character (from what I can tell from his references), so I think he was the best choice.

Now the fun process of cleaning out my old cubicle starts. Oh boy! I wasn't in that particular cubicle for very long....I was moved into that cubicle while I was in India. So I was there less than 2 months....now I need to take my stuff out and organize J's old stuff. Now the long process of training someone for this position starts....uff! That'll take at least 6 months!

A tale of two kitties

So, a new housemate just moved in. It's the first time I've lived with anyone since I went to India 9 months ago (in Nov 2005). L and I are pretty different. She's young and extroverted. I'm pretty low key (not quite as young) and introverted. It ought to be interesting!

We both have cats. They are now living together under the same roof. My cat Chloe hasn't lived with another kitty since my old cat left. That was about 2-3 years ago. So this is going to be an adjustment. 2 cats under one roof...

So far they're tolerating each other. My cat went running after the initial encounter. She's not used to having another cat in the house and is in shock. The other cat is slinking around the house, but is acting pretty comfortable in her new surroundings. In the long run hopefully it'll be great for both of them because they can keep each other company while L and I are at work.

The joys of home ownership

I really love being a home owner. While there are tons of headaches involved, especially if you own an older home, there's nothing more gratifying than completing a project on your home and knowing it's yours.

Shortly after getting back from India, I made an interesting discovery in my home. I was woken up by this loud noise at 1:30am in the morning. It was coming from my attic crawl space and since that's in the room adjoining my bedroom, it sounded like someone banging pots right next to my head. Now mind you, I've had squirrels in my attic crawl space before. I have no idea how they are getting in there, but somehow they are. This early morning I decided to check it out. I must have been delirious in my half-asleep state. I opened the crawl space door and to my surprise saw the following (see picture)! It was definitely a shock in the wee hours of the morning.

Needless to say, that was the morning I realized that I had to close off any possible access to my roof that the squirrels (and raccoons) had. I hired a roofer to come out and close up holes in my roof line. According to the roofer I had about 7 of them!! I guess that's what happens with old homes. Although my roof (shingles) has been replaced, there are still some corners where the rafters come together that has some damage and squirrels and raccoons have managed to get into the roof line. Well, no more!! Hopefully this has been fixed for good!!

The joys of home ownership is that the work is never done - it's never complete. You're always working on some project; have goals to replace something or fix something else. In my case, I have a list a mile long.....I keep telling people my house is a 10 year project...it might be a never-ending project...