Halfway From Home - A Short Story

The second leg of our flight from Seoul, Korea to Mongolia is four hours of uneventful travel. The last hour is turbulent. Our team was warned that the winds might make for a rough landing. The sprawling capital of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia is ringed by mountains in a natural bowl shape. This geographic feature is not conducive to a straight forward, smooth landing. The four of us, Pam, Shawn, Chaz and me, have traveled halfway around the world to spend ten days traveling to three cities in central Mongolia. Our task is to interview nine missionary families, gather information about their projects, and report our findings to our small Wisconsin church. Our church is interested in supporting one of the endeavors. 

The ladies, Pam, Shawn and myself, are experienced travelers. We are on the last leg of 24 hours of travel; sleep deprived, excited for our journey ahead of us, and enduring a stuffy, noisy cabin. Chaz hates flying. He held up well on the 13 hour flight from Chicago to Seoul by sleeping, but this flight clearly is making him anxious. We are sitting side by side enduring the bumps and dips. When I looked over, his face is paper white and his breathing was shallow. 

“Are you feeling sick, Chaz?” I ask, ready to find a sick bag. He shakes his head no. Another sharp dip that made my stomach flip. I hear the sound of someone getting sick behind us. We are at the back of the plane which intensifies the bumps and dips.

The captain just made an announcement, “Folks, we are not yet cleared for landing but anticipate a safe arrival soon.” 

Chaz’s death grip on the arm rest turns his knuckles white. His occupation is a county jail deputy. He has the stature and intimidation factor that is typical in law enforcement. I know I have to divert him from his terror of the impending plane crash or things will go Western fast.

“Hey, Chaz…hey, buddy, look at me! Tell me how you first met your wife, Jean, again?”  After answering me with several sentences, he looks away and squeezes the arm rest tighter, if that is possible.

I continue, “Hey, Chaz, look at me, please. Tell me again how you felt when you looked at your first newborn son?”  A small smile plays across his face as it dawns on him what I am doing. Talking a large law enforcement man down from the knife-sharp edge of terror is my God-given super power for Chaz! 

After another circle or two around the airport (and they are big circles), we land with a jarring bump and hit every Mongolian pothole on the one-landing strip. As we taxi to the only gate, Chaz’s fear dissipates as he crumples in on himself. His relief at being alive is palatable and his breathing starts to return to normal.

As we disembark to immigration, we are met with a poorly lit, dirty room. We shuffle toward the border stations to get our passports checked and stamped. Behind us there is a ruckus as people duck and shout. Something is flying around the room. A lost but friendly Mongolian bat greets us with swoops and dives. The four of us look at each other and bust out laughing with relief. The airport employees finally find a box and broom, and trap the bat after a long, loud discussion in Mongolian; a guttural, loud, slavic-sounding language. As we clear immigration and head down the steps to the baggage claim area, members of the host team, Erik and Jason, find us in the chaos of the small international airport. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s population is 1.5 million out of a total country population of 2.5 million. I am expecting a large, modern airport but Pam, who traveled to Kiev, Russia, said Mongolia reminds her of Kiev. 

As we step out of the airport, it is almost midnight and raining. Erik and Jason pulled two Land Rovers up to the front to load our luggage. The trip to the host apartment is another wild ride. I climb in with Jason, a young Korean missionary, and Chaz on the left side of the vehicle. The steering wheel on this European vehicle is on the right side but driving is also on the right side. When Jason wanted to change lanes to the left, he can’t see. Chaz had to tell him whether it was clear to change lanes.

Jason’s English isn’t good, so Chaz would shout at him, “No, don’t change lanes yet.” 

“What, now?’ Jason asked.

“No”, Chaz shouted!

“Yes, now”, Jason asked?

We both yell, “NO!”

We are all holding our breath until we drive down into the underground parking at the 17 story tall apartment building. 

Thank God for running elevators! Unpacking and settling into the comfortable 15th floor apartment is a blur. Jet lag will continue to dog us during the first part of our trip. 

After a fitful night’s sleep, the regional director, Peter and the office assistant, Rene’, arrived at the apartment for orientation, to put our passports into their office safe in the apartment across the hall and exchange currency. I nod off several times during the presentation. 

After a short rest that afternoon, Erik asks us if we want to take the short walk to Sukhbaatar Square, a gathering place for artists with felt-art and paintings to sell. Something important happens on that walk. Safety is not a priority on the sidewalks and roads in Ulaanbaatar (we quickly abbreviate the name to UB). The traffic is chaotic, and lacks defining traffic patterns. If you can’t get around a slow lane of traffic, then go on the sidewalk or anywhere available. Personal vigilance is important as you walked. The uneven sidewalks are trip hazards with stones sticking up and pot holes to avoid. 

Pam and Shawn with Erik are ahead of me, with Chaz and I bringing up the rear. Chaz is only a step behind me. I just pass an intersection and step up on the curb by a two-story building when I feel hands on my back and a quick shove forward. As I look back to see who shoved me, brick and debris rained down on the spot I stepped away from. Chaz jumps back and narrowly avoids injury. The workers on top of the building dump the debris down to the sidewalk without warning. There are no orange cones to caution us or tape to divert us away from danger. Chaz, our law enforcement protector is on the job! 

When he catches up to me, he said, “Whew, that was a close one. You could have been injured!” 

I was so overcome by gratitude and relief, I hugged his neck tight and said, “Thank you so much. I know what your main job is on this trip: our body guard.”

“You saved my butt from freaking out on the way down in that plane, Nancy. Now it’s my turn to keep you all safe, by God’s grace”, he said with a full smile. And he did!

Story taken (and embellished) from a trip to Mongolia in August 2009 for Leslie Leyland Fields class - Your Story Matters

Changing Directions

 

 

Missing Pages: A Common Woman's Journey To An Uncommon Hope

Missing Pages edits have turned into a major rewrite from the first draft. Now, I am chronologically telling our family's story. Throwing together the facts of our life is very unsatisfying and boring: even to me--the one who has lived and breathed it. I can't imagine that anyone would find them interesting, except my children who are curious to read what I wrote about them. 

Joining a local writing group, reading books about how to write your story, and listening to various podcasts and YouTube gurus spurs on my search for direction and education. My editor Michelle is waiting for me to finish the edits she gave me almost a year ago. Her general guidelines remain helpful, as I incorporate portions of the original draft into the current book.  

Leslie Leyland Fields, whom I quoted above, and I crossed paths virtually years ago. My writing lacks what Leslie calls an inner story. This intrigued me so I signed up for her four-week Zoom class based on her book, "Your Story Matters". I know this class will show me how to maneuver around blockages and clear a path to write my inner story.

If I write from my point of view and memory, there is bound to be some hurt and anger. But also some understanding.

"That's certainly not the way I remember how that happened, Mom," I can just hear my child say! 

"I can't believe you wrote about those failures in my life. I never knew you felt so embarrassed about what happened," exclaims my other child!

"You shouldn't blame yourself so much for the situations I got myself into," I can hear my empathetic child tell me.

These concerns about offending my family bump around in my brain in the early morning hours when I can't sleep. Jade, our Corgi, comforts me with her presence at 2am or 3am, as long as she gets a middle of the night snack! I join Jade with a people snack and wait for the dawn. For now, I keep writing most days. I will get there. God is faithful when I am not!

Nancy B

and Jade the napping, snack queen!

Surprising Changes

     Front of apartment/warehouse

Inside the large storage area/garage

Only this last Monday, we moved. Again. Same town, same RV, same couple but an interesting living space. Before Memorial Day weekend, John was searching online, which is a frequent activity. "This may be a crazy idea but..."  Now you need to understand that John is not a spontaneous, risk taker by any means. My ears perked up and I asked, "What kind of crazy did you find?" 

"I found this apartment with an attached warehouse for rent. Want to go look at it?", he queried. As we talked about the why's, the logistics and another possible move, we thought a look wouldn't hurt. The landlord had just listed it the day before, so we made an appointment to go see it.  Mike is a peach of a guy and among a growing population from out of state in our TN town of 12,000. Call us invaders, transplants, domestic immigrants but here we are to stay. Mike was renting this older, former business that he had recently bought with two buildings.  One is the apartment/warehouse for rent and the other building is his storage. 

The apartment was freshly remodeled, clean and located in a light industrial and residential area. No red flags popped up, so we made an on-the-spot decision to rent it.  We'll be here until our home is ready to move into, approximately late 2022.  God willin' and the crik don't run dry!

With sadness, we left the KOA park that had been so welcoming and comfortable for two months.  Memorial Day, we moved the RV in front of the warehouse portion and began to unload it into the apartment, all except the bed. A trip to Knoxville drained our bank account to buy a Sleep Number bed, soon to be delivered.  Then another trip to a local appliance store netted a new washer and dryer making me a happy homemaker. (I hate cleaning bathrooms; love doing laundry!)

The RV is sitting along a busy road that the quarry traffic use as a pass through between the quarry and a crane company. Hence the name Rock Quarry Rd! Sleeping in the RV was too noisy. We called our RV neighbors and Ed helped John pull the mattress from the RV into the apartment.  The bedroom is in the back of the apartment away from the noisy street which is more conducive to better sleep. 

Next trip will be back to WI to move our household in storage down to TN.  The uHaul is rented and we have some dates. After we empty our storage and move it down, we can furnish our apartment with a couch, etc.  

                        Kitchen looking out the front                    Living room with outdoor camp chairs

And the empty RV?  I have a 'She Shed' to sew, write and give John and I some space apart. It's all good...ask Jade!  If she's got a small rug to lay on and her humans near ready to feed her, life is simply good. We should all be Jade!  May God give you the ability to see His plan and purpose during surprising changes.  

Jesus only, Jesus always.  

Nancy B

  

Mid-Year

 Hello? Can you hear me okay? (taps on mic)  

    A funny thing happened since the beginning of 2021. Not funny, haha; but funny, life-altering. John retired and we moved to south-central Tennessee as of April 1st. 

    We sold our 1400 sq ft condo with a finished basement and moved into a 32 ft, 400 sq ft home on wheels called an RV or Recreational Vehicle. It feels like summer camping but it is not. Definitely not. 

    John and I are settling in a new normal with close quarters. Navigating a new town, finding new doctors, dentists, grocery, a new large church and many more changes kept us busy at first. After two months, we are doing the next step towards building our dome home.

    We own four acres of property southeast of our Crossville with the intent to build. The increase in building supply costs and swamped construction company schedules has delayed the start of our build until next spring. We tried not to wallow in our disappointment that the build isn't happening this fall.  Keeping our hearts tuned to God's timing and preserving good communication make the disappointment fade. Not completely. 

    But as we pray together, we know two things for sure; we are in this together and everything will be okay. Not all our desires will come to pass as we imagine in our heads. But with our minds set on asking God's Spirit to come alongside us to guide us, we will have what we need. 

    "For those who live according to the flesh (our old corrupt nature) set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit (new graceful nature) set their minds on the things of the Spirit". Romans 8:5

    

    When we think and talk about our new dome home, we envision this unusual structure filled with people learning about God's Kingdom, Loving His Son Jesus and being filled with and equipped by the Holy Spirit.  https://naturalspacesdomes.com   

    And this keeps us going through the ups and downs of changes, decisions, disappointments and being so far away from our family and friends.  

    I know without a doubt that our journey is not unique but it's ours. Where is your life taking you? How do you view any changes coming your way?

Don't you wish you were Jade?  Not a care in the world except her next meal!

Take care ~ Nancy B

    

    

New Year Perspective

 2021 has not been a fresh reset but a series of disappointments.  One has gutted me.  I thought of the scripture that says God will not give you more than you can handle.  So I looked it up because the situations of the past couple of weeks have seemed more than I could handle.  Taken out of context, this scripture seems to give us a guarantee that we will have a magic out from troubling situations.  It doesn't mean or say that.  

1 Corinthians 10:1-14 is a warning against the idolatry that was rampant in the Corinthian church.  Paul wrote to them of Israel's post-exodus history from Egyptian slaves to wanderers in the wilderness.  They were tempted to choose anything but God's provision and sovereignty to bring them to the promise land flowing with milk and honey.  Sexual immorality, putting Christ to the test, and grumbling were the three areas of temptation that Paul highlighted.  He writes a warning not to desire evil as they did. This warning applies to us down the ages.

Verse 12 says, "Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." Paul is referring to personal temptation to sin and our personal choices.  He is not talking about situations that cause us pain that are beyond our control.  Verse 13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." 

The situation may not change or get worse but my reactions may tempt me to sin.  The pain of disappointment may result in a harding of my heart, grumbling about it, and self-pity to name a few.  I have Jesus's hope from John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."  I will keep my eyes and heart fixed on Jesus who gives me peace like no other. I will choose to resist a troubled and fearful heart; Jesus is King of this heart.  And I will ask for a fresh infilling of His Holy Spirit to lead me.