3 years in the lives of our children
We have now been in Africa for 3 years. I know that’s a long time, though the time has flown by. But really, what is 3 years in the scope of my whole life? Hardly anything. But it has come to my attention just how significant it is in the lives of my children. Perhaps I should have realized that earlier, but somehow this has become normal life for us all, so I forget just how removed they are from what is normal in the US! Let me illustrate:
*Anya (age 10) was reminicing about America, and she said dreamily, "I had totally forgotten that you can turn the TV on and actually see something. That will be awesome!" (our TV is for movies only)
*Ethan (age 7!) stared at me in awe at the description of listening to music play out of the dashboard of a car, because he didn’t know what a radio was. The next day, he came in and excitedly reported that our friends have “one of those radio things that plays music in a car”. We obviously do not!
*While paying our electricity bill at the gas station, Isaac (age 3 ½) got out of the car and peed, happily facing the street. He peed in the flower garden at the children’s school. He sometimes walks to the front door and pees out onto the driveway—and it doesn’t phase anyone but us!
*We went to a friend’s house for a nice dinner, and after we prayed, Isaac blew out all the scented candles she had so nicely lit. I scolded him, but he looked at me in confusion and said, “But the power is on!”
*Today at a speech assessment, Isaac had no idea who Santa Claus was. He was unable to recognize the drawings of the church (long building with a tall steeple) or the house (2-story with a picket fence), didn’t know what a wagon was, and he was very disturbed with why the carrot had green leaves sticking out them (they’re always cut off by the time we see them). He thought the horse was a giraffe and the rabbit was a cat, but he knew the elephant and zebra and eagle.
So when we come home in a year from now, please be patient when my poor children don’t recognize your fruits or vegetables, mistake farm animals for an African safari, or “water” your church planters after the service because they don’t know where the toilets are! If it’s any consolation, they can greet in 2 or 3 languages, identify the differences between a puku, impala, waterbuck, and duiker, differentiate between mango, papaya, flame, tulip, jacaranda, and frangipani trees, and they know how to decorate eggs, play card games and get ready for bed by candle-light!
*Anya (age 10) was reminicing about America, and she said dreamily, "I had totally forgotten that you can turn the TV on and actually see something. That will be awesome!" (our TV is for movies only)
*Ethan (age 7!) stared at me in awe at the description of listening to music play out of the dashboard of a car, because he didn’t know what a radio was. The next day, he came in and excitedly reported that our friends have “one of those radio things that plays music in a car”. We obviously do not!
*While paying our electricity bill at the gas station, Isaac (age 3 ½) got out of the car and peed, happily facing the street. He peed in the flower garden at the children’s school. He sometimes walks to the front door and pees out onto the driveway—and it doesn’t phase anyone but us!
*We went to a friend’s house for a nice dinner, and after we prayed, Isaac blew out all the scented candles she had so nicely lit. I scolded him, but he looked at me in confusion and said, “But the power is on!”
*Today at a speech assessment, Isaac had no idea who Santa Claus was. He was unable to recognize the drawings of the church (long building with a tall steeple) or the house (2-story with a picket fence), didn’t know what a wagon was, and he was very disturbed with why the carrot had green leaves sticking out them (they’re always cut off by the time we see them). He thought the horse was a giraffe and the rabbit was a cat, but he knew the elephant and zebra and eagle.
So when we come home in a year from now, please be patient when my poor children don’t recognize your fruits or vegetables, mistake farm animals for an African safari, or “water” your church planters after the service because they don’t know where the toilets are! If it’s any consolation, they can greet in 2 or 3 languages, identify the differences between a puku, impala, waterbuck, and duiker, differentiate between mango, papaya, flame, tulip, jacaranda, and frangipani trees, and they know how to decorate eggs, play card games and get ready for bed by candle-light!
It is hard to believe that Anya will be 11 later this year. And it sounds like Isaac is talking wonderfully now!
ReplyDeleteOur boys often talk about our trip to Africa. We lift you up often! --Jon