We're not in Kansas anymore...

As a child, I recall watching The Wizard of Oz with Judy Garland. I remember being appalled by the insolence of Miss Gulch and her hatred for Toto; I was terrified as the tornado bellowed through Dorothy's home, knocking her out with an entire window; and I was fascinated with the magic of technicolor when she stepped through that door into the land of Oz. To this day, I can see the agony in her face, as she desperately pleaded for a way to get home. Although there have been times throughout my life that I have felt homesick, I had never coveted the power of those ruby red slippers until recently.

When we signed on for the mission work in Cambodia, we accepted, reluctantly, that we would be giving up precious time with our family and friends. Although we had no desire to miss any of the blessed moments with our loved ones, we deeply felt the meaning of "seek God's Kingdom first." For some, this means living down the street from mom and dad, but for us, when we surveyed our life, we felt that God had been preparing us for this work for a while.

After agreeing to embark upon this adventure, we battened down the hatches, and made it through the tornado that ensued as we packed our life away for 2 years. We may not have been knocked out by a window, like Dorothy, but when we awoke in a new land, it was definitely strange and filled with small(er) people. There have been several times I would have joyfully welcomed the presence of a Glinda on my path, but I've been thankful to have my 3 witty pals as we have made our way down the yellow brick road - I will let you decide who is who. ;o)

Holidays and celebrations with family have either been missed, or enjoyed for a short hour on Skype. However, this past week, Bradley and I had to endure what I think is the greatest frustration with mission work: hearing bad news from afar. Our precious niece, just over a week old was taken to the emergency room with meningitis. The reality of living in a foreign country, is that news, good or bad, will most likely be delivered via email or facebook. Grant it, years ago, we would not have known about our dear Millie's need for prayer, until the crisis had passed, and therefore I find myself once again thanking our heavenly Father for technology. When Bradley and I read the message requesting prayers for Millie's health, we prayed immediately, doing our best to not panic. Out of respect for my brother and sister-in-law, we did our best to not bother them with questions or messages, but it was near agonizing to sit and wait. If we had been in the states, we would have been sitting and waiting just the same, but it felt so much more difficult to do with thousands of miles between us and our loved ones. Every hour or two, one of us was hovering over the computer, waiting for an update, hoping for good news. It was such a relief to know that grandparents were there to assist in whatever way Carli and Aubrey needed, but as the oldest children in our families, we naturally struggle with guilt when we are not close at hand for our siblings.

Beautiful Millie dressed in her finest.

Such a precious little face... 

 Always such an attentive father, we are blessed

to call him our brother; and it is evident, in this

picture, that our Millie will be just as blessed

with her precious older brother, Pierce.

Carli, always a gentle and caring teacher to her precious

children, is a wonderful example of a godly mother.

After nearly a week, on Mother's Day, we were blessed to learn that Millie had been released to go home! We were extremely grateful to hear the good news about our baby girl, and we are still praising God for His gracious mercy shown in Millie. Aubrey and Carli are such amazing parents, and we were so proud to watch them face this trial with their beautiful godly strength, proving once again that they both have hearts of gold. I would have given anything to have borrowed Dorothy's shoes, but this trial from afar was a healthy reminder that we are not in control. I could have tapped the tar out those ruby heels, but they could not have healed Millie; only the Great Physician could do that, and we are still thanking Him for doing so.

A precious face that once again proves there is no place like home.