Musings on identity

There is no childcare at the Y on weekends, so (the kids and) I did a bootcamp video on Youtube. As "we" were huffing and puffing and sweating our way through mountain climbers, power squats, and jumping jacks, I thought about how much I was going to miss my fun, challenging group fitness classes. Then an idea occurred to me: I could round up some other stay-at-home-missionaries (aka missionary wives) and we could do cardio kickboxing in my living room! Or Pilates, or Zumba (actually, probably not Zumba. let's just say i dont excel in that one. it isnt pretty). Hannah and I talked about this excitedly for awhile.

The likelihood and practicality of me being a group fitness instructor in Africa aside, it made me remember some very important things. Just because God is leading us to be full time career missionaries, that doesnt mean all the other interests, hobbies, or giftings have to be left behind with the Oreos and Jiff. (Or Target and Starbucks.) We dont suddenly become a watered down version of ourselves, that "Missionary to Africa", who has no personality or skills other than combating roaches or beheading a chicken ;-). Whatever we did, whoever we were in the States, we are the same people. A vibrant, diverse community. It is so important to know that everybody has something they can share in that community.

 I remember in Senegal, there was a woman who sold tortillas every friday afternoon at the american school. She sold hundreds of them, and many a missionary family enjoyed familiar tasting mexican food on friday nights. Another woman had a small hair salon in her house, and serviced the missionary/expat community. Maybe someone left a career in art or music, and can give lessons to the MKs. Someone else might bake, and could make birthday cakes or other special things one might not be able to find. Someone else may be familiar with hair and nails, and serve those incredibly strong committed women who live out in the bush, when they occasionally make it to the city. Maybe there is an older couple who could babysit so the rest of us could have an night out. And others could lead exercise classes in a place where it is culturally inappropriate for women to prance around outside in running shorts. Just a thought. . .

Many ask whether we will be alone when we go. And I always reply with absolute confidence, definitely not!   We could never do it on our own, we want to be part of a team. And our team will be on both sides of the ocean. Thank you for bringing what you can to the team, from here or there. We need each other! (but please, if you need help with Zumba, you should probably find someone else. . . )