Tag Archives: people

May28

Way Too Many

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Way Too Many

For the past month I have been scanning photos. I’ve come to the conclusion that there are way too many. Why on earth did we take so many pictures? Why are there so many albums? The albums have been sitting in waterproof bins in my son’s basement for fourteen years. Has anyone even looked at them? This is 2024. Digital is the way to go.

In roughly the past ten years, I’ve had four surgeries in three different countries, sought asylum in two foreign countries during Covid and have moved from city to city in foreign countries. But none of this has been as stressful and gut-wrenching as going through these photo albums. I hope this doesn’t sound too crass but so many people in these photos are now divorced or dead.

I think I need a new project. But first I need to finish this one so I can get back to East Wenatchee. I need some normalcy in my life again. But I think I still have to wait a while for that to happen. My new ETA to the USA is now mid-June. End of May was unrealistic.

Caution to my readers. If you ever decide to do what I’m doing, you better hope that you’re in a place where it rains every single day so you don’t mind being holed up in a room with a computer and a scanner for hours on end. So far that’s been my experience this May in Winnipeg. Rain, rain and more rain.

But I’m strong and I can do this.

Sep24

Trapped or Ministry

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Trapped or Ministry

Last Sunday Pastor Mike began a new series called Trapped. It was enlightening and definitely merited more introspection. So naturally Steve and I got into a discussion about the traps in our lives, and if they really were traps. We concluded that what often appears to be a trap can instead result in the opportunity to become a ministry.

I’m a firm believer that people come into our lives for a reason. And I also feel that I have ventured down a path that was predestined for me, although I do find myself occasionally straying off to the side. I always have been a bit of a rebel. It’s a lot to ponder. Why do I live where I live? Why do I do what I do? Is it a trap that has turned into a ministry? Can it fluctuate between the two? Dare I stray further?”

I often wonder what keeps drawing me back to Washington instead of snowbirding back to Canada. There can only be one answer to that. If you’re a believer you’ll get it. And if you are not a believer there’s no way you’ll understand it. The same holds true for why I have chosen to return to Aguascalientes during the winter months.

While it’s still a nomadic lifestyle it now has a twist. I’ve been coming to Washington since 2016 and to Aguascalientes since 2019. Before that, at the three or four year mark I’d move on. But now I’ve more or less settled in two places….Washington state and Aguascalientes.

The wanderlust has waned. I don’t get quite as excited about traveling and exploring new places. But on the same token I’m not prepared to call only one place “home” just yet. It’s actually kind of fun having more than one home although it can be a challenge when dealing with Immigration in three countries.

But what makes a home a home are the people. And I’ve been blessed with many amazing people in my life whom I consider to be much more than just friends. They’re my family. And I tell them they’re stuck with me now. Apparently they don’t mind and feel the same way. I can’t tell you how great it is to have family in three countries…my native country and the two countries I now live in. It really resonated when I found myself seeking asylum in two foreign countries during Covid. And although things have calmed down considerably, my appreciation for my extended family grows more every single day.

When life throws a curve ball my way, my attitude determines the perspective. Is it a truly a trap? Or is it an opportunity for a ministry?

Time to lighten things up. We’re headed out to see My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.

Nov16

Buzz Words

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Buzz Words

The buzz words for this decade are “stay safe.” The ones I heard all the time in the last decade were “be aware.”

In Mexico I live alone, I take long walks alone and I often travel alone, very different from my life back in Washington. But in both places the above buzz words are always on my mind.

After having limited mobility prior to two knee replacement surgeries, I am extremely grateful to be able to take long walks every day. And I am very aware of my surroundings regardless of where I am. And I notice very different things.

Here in Aguascalientes, despite the fact that I live in a lower income neighborhood close to Centro (downtown), I am very comfortable walking the streets day and night. There are always people out walking. I’ve even grown accustomed to seeing young children out at night alone. Some of the shops have crazy hours too. There’s a dentist on my corner who is often there at ten at night. A hairdresser a block away is often cutting hair at midnight. Taco stands are open until the wee hours. And I think nothing of going out to the corner tienda at midnight if I crave a pinguino.

This past summer when I was in Winnipeg I stayed with a friend who lived downtown. Winnipeg can best be described as an urban reserve and is not a city I’d want to raise my kids in today. The downtown area is disgusting and filled with vacant office buildings. There is not a department store or a grocery store in sight. But the panhandlers are definitely out there in abundance. The streets are deserted at night except for the aboriginals who can be seen defecating or urinating on the sidewalks just as they do in the daytime.

When I walk in East Wenatchee I always see people out with their dogs. As I walk by the middle school I see kids out on the track. Further along by the high school I see the football team at practice. And of course there are always lovely gardens and trees as I stroll past the houses as I walk up and down the hills.

However in the blink of an eye things can change. I’ve had “interesting ” experiences in all three countries that I do not intend to ever write about. After all, we are never in control of everything.

Stay safe and be aware, wherever you are.