A Canadian visit!

 Wilf and Laura got to spend some time with us recently, her are some of Laura's reflections:

Frozen Land:  We are back to the frozen land of Canada.  We were glad to get home before the storm on December 30^th.  But it has been mighty cold since we have been back.  Thanks to the many who told me they asked to have winter wait till we got back.  It is much appreciated J.  We had a great time on our trip.  We enjoyed beautiful weather the whole time, met many wonderful people and saw a totally different way of living.  It makes you stop and wonder why we have so much or even need so much.  It made me realize the hectic life of Canadians is something I wish I could change.  Really, you can get just as much done at a slower pace!

Our time in India was relaxing; most of the time you had no choice, because most things in India take time.  One day Ellen and I wanted to make gingerbread men, but, no ground ginger; so the next day (because you can’t just run to the grocery store, a trip to town is min 4 hrs) we went and bought some fresh ginger root, grated it, dried it in her little oven then borrowed a mortar and pestle (an old axle from something) and pounded and sieved it until we had ground ginger.  Then we had no molasses so we used sugar cane rock candy and melted it down until we had something similar.  So we got the cookies made, and got them in the oven, six at a time, because Ellen’s oven is just a small toaster oven. Electricity there is interesting.  It is supposed to be 220 volts but it is seldom that high. We were lucky that day, because the electricity was coming in between 160 and 180 which worked well to bake.  Other days it comes in at 110-120, so cooking is nearly impossible, but it didn’t really matter.  It was all fun.  

We spent a week with them in Shillong, walking around and visiting places they used to live, the school where Ray taught, the church they were married in and much more.  It was great to watch them interact with the people they knew from 30 years ago.  As they have here, Ray and Ellen have touched the lives of many people over there.

Ray, Ellen, Autumn and Andrew are all doing fine.  They have adjusted well to their environment.  Ellen has spent much of the last few months figuring out how to cook, get to the market, do laundry the Indian way.  She is very good at it now and quite comfortable with it.  The kids jumped right into school and have been learning to write the Hindi language, speak Mizo and keep up with Canadian studies.  They have lots of friends and seem to be adjusting well.  Ray is busy as he always is.  While we were there he spent a lot of time fighting with his computers. (Sound familiar?)  You think it is frustrating here taking them to the shop; just try it there.  He was also busy organizing teachers and classes. Before we got there he was teaching full days at the school, English and Bible classes and some English at the University in Aizawl.  So he is busy,  but really enjoying it.  It was great to see them doing so well in their new home land.

Autumn kept saying “When you come next year Laura…”

Thanks to the rest of the staff, and Melissa and Jill, for taking on extra work so I could be gone.  Thanks to everyone who fed my kids or just checked to see how they were doing.  It has been a good experience.

 ~Laura