Bitter (and) Sweet
Hello Family and Friends -
This round of news is different from the ones before. The news that I’m about to share with you is bittersweet.
I have purchased my plane ticket and will be moving back home on November 7.
Work and Things
As some of you know, or have heard, the last four months have been very difficult for me here. Amongst a lot of changes happening in our office and in my relationships, I experienced heavy conflict with the director of our office. We tried different avenues of resolving our disagreements, including having a mediator from the global office who came to Nicaragua to walk us through some mediation meetings, but nothing worked.
Finally, about four weeks ago, as we were sitting in one of the mediation meetings, I submitted my formal resignation to the office, and this past Friday was my last day at EMI Nicaragua. Please know that I am continuing to work under EMI and hope to resume reconciliation meetings with the director at the end of my home assignment leave. That being said, once I fly home, I will have 14 weeks of home assignment leave. During that time, I will be living with my parents in NW Ohio - if you’d like the address please reach out.
In these 14 weeks, I hope to reconnect with many of you, if not all of you. I hope to attend some debrief meetings, continue therapy, meet with various professional mentors and spiritual advisors, and take the time I need to heal from the pain and hurt I have experienced working here.
There is obviously a lot more that I could share, and more in my heart that I would like to communicate, but this is not the right time to do so. You can feel free to reach out to me in the coming weeks to set up video calls, or once I am home you can reach out and see if we can connect in person. If you are back home in the greater Chicago area, I will be making frequent trips up that way to see my church family, and to see many of my friends and supporters.
I am thankful that in these last couple weeks of work, God has allowed me to focus on relationships and the people. I believe that because I honored His leading in this area, He gave me the space and time that I needed to hand off my work to the rest of the office.
What I want to communicate clearly is that, although I was walking through a very deep Valley, I am thankful that the Good Shepherd has walked alongside of me in these last four months - focusing my eyes to heaven, to listen to him and to receive his gentle correction as needed. And above all else, God has been with me.
Visitors
Now for some exciting news! My parents arrive late Tuesday night and will be here for 10 days. They will be my first and only visitors here in Nicaragua. I am so excited to be able to share this country with them and to show them what life is like here. We will spend this next week doing some day trips and visiting different places. Then after church on Sunday, we will head to the coast and for some much-needed beach time. I am thankful that my parents are able to make this trip and thankful that I will get some time with them while I am still here in Nicaragua.
A week after my parents leave, I will have the opportunity to attend a men’s retreat for my church. Over the last couple months, I have been a part of the planning committee to determine what we desire in this retreat. I am really thankful that my time here was extended so that I could attend and spend time with these men.
Vacation Adventures
I would like to end this update on a high note. I am so thankful for the relationships that God has allowed me to form here, and I have been wonderfully impacted by several of these close relationships.
About four weeks ago, Eugene, Michelle and I went on a road trip through Costa Rica. We began on the NW Pacific coast made our way through the central part of the country to San Jose, and then all the way down to the SE Atlantic coast. It was truly a wonderful time of exploring a new place and getting to spend this quality time with these two wonderful friends.
Pacific Coast
Central Costa Rica
Atlantic Coast
Prayer Requests
Personal:
• For my parents as they travel down to Nicaragua. That their travels would go smoothly and that we have a wonderful time together here.
• For me, as I begin to focus on leaving and all that that entails- saying good goodbyes to people and places; selling things here, like my car; spending time with those that mean the most to me; and getting Maximus ready to travel with me back to the states
• For me, as I try to live in the moment - it is not easy when there is a big life change on the horizon. Pray that I would have the time and space to dream and hope for the future, as well as time and space to grieve for what has been lost here.
• I ask that you will begin to pray for what lies ahead in the next 14 weeks - for the people and conversations that I will get to have, for the debrief programs and the therapy that I will be a part of, and for the healing and restoration that I desire God to bring into in my life.
For friends:
• For the Nicaragua office in this time of transition.
• For Jacob & Haven, the EMI fellow and his wife, as they continue to settle in Nicaragua and work for EMI. Pray that they would find close relationships that they can build in a community that they can create.
• For Eugene and Michelle and their life here.
• For Helen Quail, as she wraps up chemotherapy. That God will continue to protect her and her family and continue to build in her, the strength that she needs to recover well.
• For my dear friend, David Lowe, and his family as they continue to settle in Atlanta, and as he works remotely for EMI. Pray for their daughters, Emma and Hanna - that they would find friends and community, and clarity for David and Diane for these future seasons of life.
• Pray that my landlady would find a new tenant for my apartment quickly
Thank you all for your love,support and prayer in these coming weeks. As always, I would love to hear from them about you all, so drop me a message and let me know what is new with you and your Family.