Spring 2007 - There but not yet arrived

Chinajim gives the facts:

Well here we are, finally in East Asia. No, we’re not yet in our field country but we’re getting really close!

You must be gaining the impression that joining OMF moves slower than a sedated tortoise. Indeed it’s now been eighteen months since we put in our application forms. However the whole process has been great preparation for going, and a strong confirmation of our calling. To recap: we spent a year at Bible College, were accepted by the Scottish Council, passed a two week Candidate’s Course in Sevenoaks, had a period of speaking engagements, gained our four clearances, and attended a month’s orientation course in Singapore.

Most people fly straight on to their field of service from Singapore, but we flew back to the UK to collect our Christmas presents. And to fill the six week gap until our field orientation. This time was spent saying goodbye to friends and family, packing up and having our commissioning services at our two sending Churches. There was so much to do in this period that it’s hard to process, but we know that saying good farewells to people was really important.

We are now sitting in sunny Thailand. We have had a week of field specific orientation, followed by a week of our annual field conference. These are held in Thailand. Outside the country we work in we have more freedom to discuss our work. The orientation had about 20 adults preparing to join our field, about half of whom are going to our city. It was good to start to meet some of the people that we would be living and working with.

So, the waiting is over and we stand on the threshold of our first term. How will it go? Will we adapt to the culture? Will we make a difference in the lives of some? Will we have nervous breakdowns and be brought home? Here we go…

China Jane gives the feelings:

We’re in Thailand! What are we doing in Thailand? Why can’t we be in the country our Father wants us to be in? Surely we’ve waited long enough by now?!

I recognise that our Father is with us. In particular, the peacefulness of the goodbyes to our parents was a very precious miracle. Managing to fit all my shoes, craft materials and herbal tea-bags into our rucksacks I should probably also put down to the grace of our Creator! So I know he hasn’t forgotten about us for this month in Thailand, and I suppose he must have precious things to teach us here. I’m just afraid one of them might be even more patience…

There are great things about being here though (apart from good food and comfortable hotels). It’s really special (although a bit intimidating) to meet the people who are going to be our friends, co-workers and classmates for the next 2+ years. They’ll probably become the closest thing we have to family in our new country. We’re looking forward to getting to know them better, but it’ll take some time – none of the rest of them are Scottish, after all.

So soon we’ll be squeezing all our belongings into our bags once more for our final flight to our new home. It’ll be so good to finally arrive!