MCC Orientation: Week 1

It feels like we have been at orientation longer than just a week. Our days are full with sessions, conversations, meals, and playing. The boys made friends immediately and are always off playing. They have a wonderful kids orientation with speakers, field trips, service projects, times for reflection, and crafts. In the evenings, the fireflies come out, a novelty for the boys since they had previously only read about them in books. The MCC campus (The Welcoming Place) is absolutely lovely with different houses decorated with items from Ten Thousand Villages, reflecting different continents. In the center is green space and there is also a playground for the kids. The Meeting Place is where we meet which has two assembly rooms as well as smaller conference rooms. On the lower level, they have ping pong, carpet ball and other games for us to enjoy. We eat in the cafeteria and take turns doing dishes and clean up. The meals are made fresh and there is variety. Our boys have fully enjoyed the homemade bread served at each meal. Jason is trying to see if man truly can live on bread alone. The only thing that has been less than perfect is the weather which was horrid the first few days. It was in the high 90s with high humidity and it felt oppressive to us Californians who are used to a dry heat. The air was thick, so thick it felt like we were walking into a wall whenever we left the Meeting Place or the cafeteria, the only buildings with air conditioning. We survived the first few days and there was a noticeable change by Thursday. Now it is much more pleasant and we don’t feel quite so fatigued.

By far the best part of the week has been meeting the other MCCers. It is a huge group this time around, with over 75 adults and 25 kids. Each speaker comments on the size before they begin their presentation. Next week the group will be smaller as those with assignments in North America return home. Those going to international placements have another week together which I am looking forward to. I am constantly amazed at what a perfect fit people are for their positions and marvel at how they came to apply with MCC. It seems that the experiences which appeared disconnected throughout their lives, come together and give them a unique blend which fits exactly what is needed in their particular context. It is very exciting. We have easily connected with many of them and will savor this time with them as we won’t see any of them for three years. There is a family going to Tanzania that we have really enjoyed and we would love to visit them, and of course, fellow MCCers from PMC, Dale and Marika, who are going to Uganda. We will have to see if we can work that out in the next three years. Many of the others we have met here have blogs so hopefully we can keep up with each other that way.

We have been looking forward to time with the Manickams, former PMCers now living in Lancaster. Joe works for MCC so we have seen him a few times around campus. We were in a church small group with Joe and Wanda for a few years, and our kids grew up together and felt very comfortable in each others’ homes. They lost no time getting reacquainted and have loved every minute they could have together. We had dinner at their place Friday night and ended up talking so late that it seemed convenient for our boys to spend the night there. This was their first sleepover and we tried to reiterate that it is supposed to be a SLEEPover but it was just a little too exciting. Jason fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow but Faith, Matthew and Brendan stayed up a bit later. Peter and I came back in the morning and we spent time driving around Lancaster County. We drove through a quaint covered bridge, saw Amish farms, and then visited a small petting zoo. After lunch, Wanda and I stayed in the area, visiting a quilt museum which was fabulous, and walking through a Moss gallery, a painter of the Amish. It was wonderful to visit with an old friend and our conversation was refreshing for both of us, I believe. Meanwhile, Joe and Peter took the kids swimming for the afternoon and then met us at the Sundbergs (also friends from PMC) for dinner in the evening. Scott treated us to an exquisite Thai feast in which I didn’t recognize half the ingredients. Peter got the hiccups after testing one condiment that was particularly spicy. I steered clear of that one and enjoyed the rest. Wendy, unfortunately, spent the evening at the Emergency Room with Leif, their oldest son, who fell from a tree shortly before we arrived and got a mild concussion. We are all thankful that he is OK.

Sunday we had time together as a family in the morning, doing crafts that Grandma Gail sent in a care package and going to a park. After lunch we had more time with the Sundbergs and enjoyed an afternoon in a lovely park in Lititz. At dinner, someone invited us all to a spontaneous hymn-sing in the evening. For an hour and a half, twenty of us called out numbers and sang our hearts out. Many of us were feeling the absence of worship times during the week so we did it on our own. After checking to see if anyone else wanted to play piano, I volunteered. I played for awhile but then asked around if anyone else wanted to play when I got to a song that I always butcher. Another woman said she would give it a try and was, of course, marvelous. I encouraged her to keep playing and enjoyed singing the rest of the time.

Now it is time to prepare for another week of sessions. Over the weekend, I almost forgot that we were moving to Africa because it felt like we were just here on vacation, enjoying old friends and seeing the countryside. But tomorrow it is back to reality. Monday afternoon Peter and I meet individually with the Director for Africa and will hopefully learn a bit more about what they are hoping and expecting. Or not. I have been told that it is actually our country reps in Zambia that know the most so we will wait for more information when we arrive. But then I half expect to hear that I really won’t know anything until we get to Kitwe. Then I will learn that I really won’t know anything until the second year we are there, and soon our three years will be up and I will discover that I didn’t really need to know anything after all. I don’t even really know what it is I want to know, I just feel like I don’t know what I should be knowing. I better just let go of all that now, be OK with what I do and don’t know, and trust the rest will come when I need to know it. How’s that for growth?