Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone!  I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!  I have the joy of spending this Thanksgiving with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Oklahoma (where my mom grew up).  I was able to get a free ticket with my frequent flyer miles, so I decided to take this opportunity to visit with my extended family.  I always enjoy my visits with them because they are filled with laughter.  The Champeau side of the family loves to laugh, especially when they all come together.  I have so much to be thankful for, so I thought I'd list just a few of them below.  Hope you have a wonderful holiday!

• Family
• The chance to spend Thanksgiving with extended family
• A new team preparing to go to Kazakhstan
• The safety of my Kazakh family and friends during the recent shooting/bombing in Taraz
• Good friends all over the world
• A faithful God
• My small group (both in Lynchburg and Muncie)
• A sense of peace and joy
• God's provision
• Laughter
• Freedom
• Health

Simple Joys

Over a week ago I had the joy of spending the day at Kings Dominion with three new friends from my small group.  The weather for the day called for showers and a high of around 40 ... not ideal weather for being outside.  However, for us the weather ended up being a blessing.  The weather was bad enough that most people did not make the trip, yet good enough that the rides did not shut down.  We looked like fools as we walked through the park in our ponchos and multiple layers of clothing, but we were happy fools.

The stimulus for the trip was that I know I will be heading back to Kaz next spring and will not get a chance to ride roller coasters for another few years.  Some friends from small group were excited to join me in this adventure.  We were able to ride each roller coaster that we wanted to 2-3 times and only had to wait in two lines all day long.  Due to the weather, I was able to ride more than I had imagined!

I think the best part of the day was the fact that we turned into children when we entered the park.  Memories from years before (my first roller coaster was the Shockwave at the same park) brought back thoughts of friends and laughter.  We found ourselves almost skipping through the park at times (well, I guess that was only some of us).  Stories were told.  Funnel cake and cotton candy were eaten.  Laughter and joy abounded.

We could have been upset that the weather was not perfect.  Instead, we decided to just enjoy the day and find pleasure in the little things.  I find it really amazing what a perspective of joy can bring to a day.  I am thankful for my new friends that were willing to join the adventure!

Upcoming Plans:  Trip to Muncie (Nov 9-13); Thanksgiving in Oklahoma

Friendships That Don't Change

Last weekend I had the opportunity to see so many good friends from my years at Taylor University.  Although the drive was long, the time with people that I haven't seen since graduating made it worth it. It's funny how friendships can be picked up after 11 years.  I am so thankful for the friendships that God gave me at Taylor and this opportunity to catch up with people.  

One of the highlights of my time was the opportunity to spend time with friends from an organization that I was a part of while at Taylor.  The organization consisted of people that had spent some time growing up overseas.  Now these friends are scattered all over the world.  Since the organization was celebrating it's 25th anniversary, many graduates returned for homecoming.  We had fun visiting, playing soccer, and hearing stories (picture below).  

I also had the opportunity to tour the science center with some of the girls that lived on my floor.  It was fun to catch up, hear what is going on in their lives, and meet family members.  It brought back so many good memories of my time at Taylor with these good friends.  What a happy surprise to get to spend this time with them.  

In all of the recent transitions, I have been thinking a lot about friendship.  I can look back at friendships that have been so important at different stages of my life.  Sometimes, in the midst of transitions or busyness, those friendship no longer are at the forefront of my attention.  This doesn't decrease the importance of these friendships, but it seems that they have shifted to a different role.  Each friendship has built into my life in a different way and I wouldn't be the person I am without them.  True friendships are those that after 10 years, we can begin communication as if nothing ever happened.  I often grieve over the inability to keep up with all my friends from the different phases of my life, but then God reminds me that he wants me to engage fully where He has placed me.  It is hard to engage fully and still maintain strong bonds with those in another place ... this is the balance that I find myself trying to walk.  One in which I engage in the present, but still completely enjoy the past and look forward to the future.

New Life

I have begun my new life in Lynchburg, VA.  I have enjoyed spending time with friends in many States along the way.  What a joy it is to be able to connect with friends as if I had never been gone.  I continually sense God's blessing on this next step in the process of returning to Kazakhstan.  Today marks the first day of a six-week time of training and team building.  I am looking forward to getting to know my team members better and learning how to best communicate with one another.  I know I will learn much during this time.

I have already been blessed with many new friendships.  Last weekend I found myself missing my new friends here in Lynchburg in the midst of the joy of seeing old friends, as I spent the weekend in Muncie to attend a friend's wedding.  I am thankful that I already have a small group here.  Although I have only been a part of the group for two weeks, I feel like I belong.  Everyone has welcomed me into the group.  My small group in Muncie was such a blessing and encouragement.  The thought of leaving that group was one of the things that made the move to Lynchburg most difficult.  However, I see how God has provided a new group here.  This doesn't take away the importance of the old, but adds yet another layer of relationships to my life.  I look forward to seeing how these relationships will cause me to grow.

Sometimes the idea of making new friends overwhelms me, especially when I know that I will be leaving them soon.  I think back on the friends that I have had throughout my life (Kenya, CA, MD, IN, Taylor University, CO, Kazakhstan, and now VA) and realize how blessed I am.  However, as I realize this, I also realize how hard it is to leave.  My natural reaction is to want to protect myself from this by not adding more relationships to my life.  However, when I look back, I also realize that there is not one friend that has failed to make my life richer.  The pain of making new friends that I will have to leave becomes worth it when I dwell on the richness of my life.  As the next transition draws closer I hope to be able to hold onto this reminder and not allow the sorrow overwhelm me.

Another Round of Goodbyes

Hi everyone!  I just realized how long it has been since I last posted.  Sorry for the lack of communication.  It has been a crazy couple months.  Some of the highlights/lowlights included:

• Four delegations in four months (definitely a highlight)
• Getting a chance to have several of the youth that I worked with in Muncie come to Kaz
• Seeing my kids in Kaz and helping them interact with my kids from Muncie
• Saying goodbye to everyone in Kaz
• Becoming an accidental illegal immigrant in Kaz (thankfully worked this out legally)
• Three weeks in Muncie to see friends 
• Many games of Settler's of Catan with friends in Muncie
• Processing with delegates about their trips before leaving Muncie
• Saying goodbye to everyone in Muncie
• Spending a few days with my parents playing games

I had a wonderful time in Kazakhstan and then in Muncie.  I am now in the midst of my next big transition ... a move to Lynchburg, VA.  I will be spending the fall and some of the spring in Lynchburg as we train together as a new team to go back to Kazakhstan.  Right now it is looking like I will be returning to Kaz with this new team sometime in April.  I am excited to see this team come together and look forward to being in Lynchburg for this time.  I will be stopping in MD/PA on my way to Lynchburg later this week and look forward to seeing my Grandpa Coggins and many friends.  

It is always difficult to say goodbye, but I continue to see how each step down the path of life has a specific purpose and continues to grow me in a way that would be impossible otherwise.  I'll have to share some of the ways the last few months have impacted me in a future post.  I hope you have a wonderful week!