Hunting Stories, Unexpected Blessings and 2015

Last day of 2014.  A great year for sure.  Only a few hours left!

These last few days I've been able to finish a couple books I hoped to get through over the holidays.  I finished the book Reckless Abandon by David Sitton and then a book given to us by my parents written by a doctor we knew personally when my parents lived in Zambia, Dr. Foulkes, called Hunting Stories.  That was a fantastic read.

Dr. Foulkes lived and worked in Zambia for 38 years.  Not only was he the doctor for the hospital, but he supplied all the meat for the hospital as well which required hunting every so often for big game.  My dad was honoured to be in one of the chapters as he was also a hunter when he lived there. My poor sister can't get through the book as there are tales of animals getting hurt, but alas, it was not written for the faint of heart/animal lovers like herself!  Sorry sis!

My boys and I couldn't put it down.  I was born in Zambia while my parents were there on a short-term mission trip.  They tithed 10% of their lives when they were 30 and that worked out to 3 years! I went back in my early twenties.  I wanted to see this place my parents had talked about for so long.  I wanted to see where I was born.

It was amazing.  One of my first steps onto Zambian soil was in the dark.  All I could see were stars, so close I thought I could reach out and touch them.  I remember saying, "So that's what parents meant......"  They used to talk about the African sky like it was a different kind of sky.  I never knew what they meant until I saw it myself.  It is something to behold.  Bright lights, so bright that you would think they weren't real stars, but just flashlights at your fingertips.  It was incredible.

I remember driving down the road in the back seat of a huge "lorry" or truck.  I was cramped and could barely move.  I was so sure I would see a lion jump out at every corner.  We did see a rabbit or some small animal jump in front of the truck.  They immediately stopped the truck, sure they had hit it.  I'm thinking, "Let's keep going!  I'm a little cramped for space here!"  But to them, it was a meal they weren't going to miss...mmmmm....roadkill....not my first choice for dinner!

The rest of the summer I spent teaching at the girls secondary school, teaching English Literature and Home Ec.  I got to meet so many wonderful Zambian girls.   The missionaries were wonderful, too. Many of them were mentioned in Dr. Foulkes' book.  I loved that I could still picture them all and remember different things about each one.

I had already read his autobiography a few years back.  He didn't restate a lot of the details of his family life in his hunting stories, but I knew this man lived with "reckless abandon".  He lost a wife and two children in Africa.  Many missionaries did.  David Sitton reminded me of that in his book, too, when he spoke of John Paton (our youngest son is named after him).  He lost a wife and 5 children overseas.  What a cost.  Too much to imagine really.

Dr. Foulkes is still alive and living in the U.S., taking the time to write his memories on paper while he can.  I'm so glad he did.  I'm so glad I knew him and met him.  I'm so glad he and my dad didn't get killed in their incredible hunting adventures!  I'm not sure I would be here today!  Knowing Dr. Foulkes was, again, like meeting Jim Elliot and Nate Saint, in person.  I think the reason I love reading these stories is because they inspire me to live with the same reckless abandonment that they did.  I'm still not sure I would be willing to lose my husband or any of my children.  One of the missionaries we knew lost their son, a 16 year old boy, to a croc, in front of his dad.  I can't even imagine losing my 16 year to anything, let alone a crocodile!

Reading his stories made my son want to go to Africa.  I, uh, kind of discouraged it!  But, if he is supposed to go, I must let him.  I have to do what all the missionaries did - lay my children in God's hands as they really belong to Him anyway.

Our year ended with more unexpected blessing.  I reflect on when we gave a few weeks ago, not really feeling like we could give, how God has taken that and returned it to us a least five-fold.  We got unexpected gift after gift.  We certainly never gave thinking that would happen, but we did try to seriously take God at His Word.  Boy, has He ever proved faithful, more than we ever expected. From cheques in the mail, to unexpected orders for my husband, to more unexpected cheques, to unusual hay orders on the last day of the year at fantastic rates.....the list goes on and on.....God is good, so good.

Tonight we'll have a special time of reflecting.  We always look back over the year.  We look at each month.  We talk about milestones for each child.  We remember, we thank God, we pray.  Then we look ahead.  We'll write down goals, dreams, crazy hopes.  Then we'll eat or play or talk some more or put some little people to bed!  Then....as much as I want to go to bed, we'll stay up.....my older kids love staying up right until midnight...awful.  But friends will come over at 9 and make sure that happens....what was I thinking?  I've created party animals.

Happy New Year!  I'm looking forward to seeing how God continues to work......