Settling into Lui (Friday, 24 Feb.)

Archdeacon Robert, Sandy, Rick, & many of our Lui hosts traveled to the Minga archdeaconry. I expect they will have their own tales to tell about that trip. Father Bob and I remained in Lui. We worshipped with the folks at Samaritan’s Purse, and further explored the Samaritan’s Purse hospital complex. Father Bob taught a session for the Deacons. And I got organized.

I opted-out of that trip to Minga, as I was desperate for some “down time.” As I told Archdeacon Robert the night before, I was “hitting the wall.” For me, it was a matter of staying in Lui and getting settled, or going bonkers! So I’m staying in Lui today, as is Father Bob.

This leads me to one of the questions that I asked before I accepted the call to go to Lui. I asked one of the past travelers, “Are there any sort of folks who should think twice before agreeing to go to Lui?” I can say now that I did not get an honest answer to my question. And that’s part of the reason I’m writing so much here on this blog – to help people know what they may face, so they can make an informed decision.

So … the reason I had to stay in Lui this Friday was that we had been careening from place to place, and I’m just sufficiently OCD that I desperately needed to get my own things organized so that I could venture forth on the subsequent days. Since landing in Mundri, we had scarcely had a moment in which to collect our thoughts, and I needed more than “a moment.” Fortunately, my fellow missioners did not ask any questions, did not exert any pressure, but just allowed me time and space to do what I felt I needed to do. I’m grateful for that.