Today is one of those days. I am tired of being an American in Pretoria. I am tired of being the oddball, the foreigner, the one who is always scrambling to learn how to do things, say things, and fit in. Strangely, though, I don't want to go back to the States. Rather, I want the comforts of home to come to me - family, friends, familiar foods and culture.All of the pep talks and words I write to encourage you are not speaking to me today. I just want to crawl under my blanket and cry. I suppose this can be chalked up to culture shock. Even after ten months, it occasionally rises up to bite me from behind. This has been a difficult week.
I am not willing to give up, however. If life is a race, then there must be days when we not only glide effortlessly downhill, but days when we trudge along, barely able to put one foot in front of the other, waiting for that second wind. It is important to keep going even when feelings dictate otherwise. I still want my blanket, though!
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' " - Psalm 91:1-2
4 comments:
Sending you a great big hug, sister, and beaming you a virtual pumpkin spice latte. Wish I could bring dinner over for you!
Love,
Rosie
Hi! I just discovered your blog last night while googling for anyone American in Pretoria. I can only imagine the difficulty of the culture shock and how it can be wearying on the body and mind. My wife and I have been praying about moving our family to Pretoria from the States in order to serve in a missionary capacity. My wife is a veterinarian and we are hoping to sign on with Christian Veterinary Missions as our sending agency. We would be looking to provide humanitarian as well as companion animal care to those who cannot afford it as well as sharing the Gospel to a people who truly need the transformation that only Christ can bring. I'm hoping to also finish a Ph.D. in Theology at the University of Pretoria. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I enjoy your blog and I hope to learn more about what it is like for you there. God bless!!
Hi Sam! If you ever make it to Pretoria, please let us know. It is a wonderful place, despite the fact that I am a bit "down" right now. We would love to be able to share our experiences with you and help you out in any way we can.
Checked out your blog, where is Lakeside Baptist Church? Blessings to you and your wife, Angela
Hi, thanks for your response! Lakeside is in Salem, VA, part of the lovely Blue Ridge Mountains. We haven't updated our blog in a while because we initially started it to promote the church's missions conference which was a couple of months ago. It is something we have to be a little more diligent about! Anyway, thanks so much for your response and for "sharing" a little bit about your life there in Pretoria. God bless!
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