Torn

We are now about two weeks away from our first break since we have been in the tribe. We have to come out for about six weeks to do our taxes, attend our region's annual Conference, and our coworkers have to do a translation check. We are excited for the break, especially since we are running out of food, but are a little sad to leave this place for so long.

This is the first home we have had of our own in five years! And even though it is unfinished, it really feels like home. We have planted a nice garden that is starting to produce huge pumpkins and delicious watermelons and I am so afraid that all of that is going to be destroyed by the time we come back. Plus, I finally have one chicken that likes us and actually stays around our house and voluntarily sleeps in our coup at night. We have taught her to eat out of our hands and she lets the girls pick her up. Sometimes we even let her in our house to play. (I know it is weird. But our life is weird, ok?) Anyway, I am so afraid that while we are gone for so long that she will get eaten by a dog (see previous blog) or she will think we have abandoned her and will go somewhere else to live.

But most importantly, we have really begun to feel at home in this village and among these people. We have learned most everyone's name and who they belong too, and have even begun to speak a few sentences in their language. We feel comfortable here, and we feel like we are a part of village life. Like we belong.

Don't get me wrong we are ready for a little break. Living and working in here is like working a job 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are no holidays or weekends. We even had a knock on our door at 7:45 am on Christmas morning by a guy who wanted to hang out and help JMG with language. Most of the time we don't mind because we actually like this job, but even something you like can get old with no break once in while. So, if this break was just two weeks, I would jump on a helicopter tomorrow, but six weeks feels like an eternity. I feel like six weeks could easily erase all we have accomplished these last four months.

Sigh. Oh well, there is not much we can do about it. We have to come out for taxes and Conference, and if we come out later, then we will be paying for an entire helicopter flight ourselves rather than splitting it with our coworkers (and most of you will remember how expensive that is). So, we will go out and enjoy eating some yummy foods, skyping with our parents, and looking at all the different ways to use Nutella on pinterest, but we will be thinking about our new home and new friends in this little village. And I will be praying that my little house chicken survives without me.