Home Saga

So as many of you know Ema and I have been officially “homeless” for basically a year. We left our beautiful townhouse in Chiang Mai at the end of August last year- 2016 and it’s August again. We’ve been bed surfin’ ever since. (Shoutout to our amazing friends the Damerons, a once in a lifetime 2 months with the used-to-be single Mandy, and “our room” in my Mom’s house. Not to mention our most recently vacated domicile of the “Green Palm Hotel” in Mwanza)

As a missionary, I suppose this isn’t the most outrageous thing ever. We learn to flex and be happy in many a room that’s not ours. But still. A year y’all. A year. 

The last month at the Green Palm Hotel has been very emotional for me. Adjusting to life in Africa, the sadness of leaving everyone and everything behind, and the daily hope and disappointment cycle of “are we moving today?”. 

When I was preparing to move to Mwanza, Ema was scouring the city looking for that perfect house. The right price, but comfortable enough for his American diva wife to live. And together we decided on the Bwiru “fourplex” (?— it’s one story with 4 separate apartments. Not really a townhouse, not a duplex, I looked it up and found the term fourplex.) He met the landlord and they hit it off, and he was very agreeable about money topics (ie- that we would pay 6 months instead of the full year that most landlords ask for here in Mwanza (Tanzania?) The Fourplex was in the finishing processes of being built and was supposed to be finished June 30 which we felt like was kind a sign because that’s ma birthday. When we toured the still unfinished property on June 29th, it was clear that there was no way in Heaven that that was going to happen. So the landlord (we’ll call him “L” for this exercise) assured us it would be ready on the 15th of July. That seemed unthinkable to us to be in a guesthouse for 2 weeks so we protested and he made promises for July 7th. 

I think I knew in the back of my mind. I suspected. That that was in no way going to happen like that. But Ema had hope and so I followed his lead. And as mentioned before July 7th came and went, and then July 15th came and went, and on and on and on. Meanwhile L placated us by letting us choose the paint colors which was very exciting, and install our old used AC that we found.

After the 15th we entered into what I began referring to as the “2 Day Loop”. Every two days L would assure us that we could move in after two days. Then 2 days would pass and he’d say 2 days and on and on like this. We visited the apartment every day, sometimes twice— watching each room get finished and dreaming about what it was going to be like living there, and making it ours. When the bathrooms started getting finished, we could tell that he was choosing quality finishings and that made us more excited still. 

Then the end of July was approaching. The Fourplex was nearly done and we started talking about more realistic move in dates. That’s when L’s dark side came out. Suddenly he changed his tune and started saying that in no way could we move in unless we paid 12 full months. Not the 6 that he was so agreeable about before. 

And culture rears its head. 

As a student of culture it’s quite possible that I make things a lot more about “culture” than they need to be. In any country or culture it’s also possible that people are just horrible. Or they just do things the way they want to. 

We pleaded and begged and harassed and got angry and begged again until long story short the day came that we realized that he wasn’t going to let us move in if we couldn't procure $1,000 more immediately. 

During this time we had been slowly acquiring household things since the apartment was 100% unfurnished (not even stove or fridge). Thankfully one of Ema’s friends and the Green Palm were amenable to allow us to store our furniture. (I’m talking about — we had a sofa set made, because it’s much cheaper to get them made than to buy in the store, and we literally had to store them on top of each other, in a breezeway— under a tarp at the guesthouse! Stressful!)

The feeling of our stuff (including the things that we shipped to TZ) piling up in different spots and sometimes outside was so stressful to me. Besides the temporary-ness of living in the guesthouse itself. 

So that night (it was a Tuesday) when we finally realized that “No” was the final answer, we went to bed despondent. I was inconsolable. I couldn’t sleep so I prayed. After some time, this peace came over me and I remembered what I’d read in “Draw the Circle” that day. —Sometimes God needs you to let the dream die so he can resurrect it.— So I gave him the Fourplex apartment. Once I had done that I asked Him if He had something better for us. And I remembered my once upon a time dream to live in a home with a view of the all surrounding Lake Victoria. I’d given up on that awhile back when it seemed like it wasn’t going to happen. So I prayed for a home with a lake view. It’s like— once I had let go of my stubborn hold on the fourplex, I was able to lift up my faith again for an even better situation. I fell asleep hopeful. (This is a HUGE sign to me that I am actually growing spiritually!! My stubbornness usually wins!)

The next morning we decided that no matter what, we were moving out that day. We had an offer from a very sweet couple to let us stay in their guest room until we found something. So I texted the wife that we were going to be coming over that day. 

But we decided- well, let’s at least take a look at this one house that was on Ema’s mind that he’d seen a long time ago — on a hill, with a lake view, for around the same price as the fourplex. 

We drove up the hill to see it. It was a standalone house with a gate, brand new (no one has lived in it before), western toilets and one squatty potty, and when I stood on the porch at the top of the steps I saw a gorgeous view of Lake Victoria. One extra room and a dining room which the other house didn’t have! More windows, “rainfall shower heads” that look like the Mac Apple logo, and this crazy chandelier that has bluetooth. 

It all happened super fast after this. We called the landlord and he agreed to allow us to move in that day and pay only 4 months! (He is the sweetest man too.)

So that day, instead of moving into someone’s guest room, we moved into a completely different house of our own! (With a lake view!!!)

It’s hard to describe that feeling of unpacking boxes that have been packed for a year, being reunited with things I’d forgotten that I'd shipped or sent with Ema and finally settling into a place that is ours. 

I'm so grateful. Life can really begin now. 

I will end this very long blog with one final cool thing: I came across my original prayer request list that I wrote down over a year ago about our house in Tanzania. Here’s what I asked God for: 

• Nice open view of Lake Victoria
• Cross breeze on a hill
• AC in bedroom and living space (we don’t need one in the living space, it’s so cool up on the hill with the lake breeze)
• Western toilets
• Big kitchen with fridge, oven, stove and microwave
• Big dining room
• No roaches (haha— I haven’t seen any yet!)

Wow. God remembered everything I asked for, even if I didn’t and was ready to settle for less. Be encouraged by this story!! 

Sometimes “no” is “not yet”. I want to learn how to lean into the waiting, because there’s so many good things that He has in store for those who WAIT on Him. It’s important to know too— we can’t manufacture an end to the wait. God knows when the waiting is supposed to end, and He has a plan to gloriously end it. 

It’s BETTER. To wait on Him and to wait FOR Him.

Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Here's some Pix!

Sunset view from the front porch

Front of the house!

Living Room

Kitchen (a little messy!)