The Snodgrai

The Snodgrasses: Nathan, Shelley, and Nora
Some of you knew some friends of ours from church stayed with us for the month of April. The are missionaries to Central Asia (publicly undisclosed country), but were delayed by Visa red-tape. Out of their rental lease and needing housing for the indeterminate last leg of their departure, they moved in with us. They traveled quite a bit while here -- making last visits to their homes in Owatonna, MN and Ames, IA, as well as trips to supporting churches, etc. It was a good growing thing for me, being tidy and routined orientated. Not only were they in a completely tumultuous era of existence but they are entirely the right sort of people to move to disorganized, unpredictable very non-American country. I was utterly convinced by their stay that God makes people for specific places. I mean, there are people made to be able to flex and "go with it". Not only are they moving there not knowing either language spoken but with a one year old and another baby on the way (medical services? hospitals?). Shelley told me that there are no supermarkets there -- everything is purchased in hodge podge markets. No one (except the very rich) tries clothes before buying them because there are no places to try them on. Everything there takes many times the effort and time it does here. Lines everywhere. ALL the water must be boiled -- even the cooking water. There are no movie theaters. And I think about Shelley: She will be learning two languages full time, teaching English part time, and raising a one-year old, and learning how to take care of a household all the while starting this all off in her first trimester of pregnancy -- which is generally exhausting and nauseating. Aaaaahhhhhh!!!

Well, their visas came through and after a marathon week of packing they left the third weekend of April. I've gotten the house halfway back in order -- the refrigerator and cupboards back into my "system" and now have only the shipping crates pile awaiting departure in our living room. Every time I look at the "mountain" there, I thank God for putting me here, where I am and remember to pray for these bold, and slightly insane friends of ours.