Not all who wander are lost, though they may feel like it at times. But after 37 nights in a hotel (and 57 nights living out of a suitcase!), we have found rest! We are thrilled with the house God has given us — it’s size, arrangement, landlord, location, etc. — it’s exactly what we and you have prayed for. The house was built in 1960, and our landlord lived here all his childhood, so I’m sure the wood has some stories to tell! It’s situated right on the Sekong River, less than 1 KM from where it joins the mighty Mekong, and is literally surrounded by houses of neighboring Khmer and Lao. We slept here for the first time Sunday and there’s still a lot of unpacking, cleaning, and fixing to do. But every day, the house feels more like home. Please praise God with us for this wonderful gift.
Our current plan is to spend this week unpacking, and then start into “normal life” next week. By then, the kids will be in month 3 of their Christmas break from school, so we’re all ready. My primary focus will be language learning, so please pray for me as I begin the search for a tutor.
Below are some pics to give you a taste of our setting. For more details, you’ll have to visit us!
moving (and truck repair) day
the access road to our house is about a meter too narrow for the moving truck; thanks to a friend’s Isuzu and about 25 trips up and down the access road, we got it all in by 9:00pm
excess luggage
our house is a bit of a fixer-upper; thankfully, we know a pretty good (and kind) fixer-upper
this Valentine’s gift to Bonnie Ruth is a tasteful complement to our squatty potty
improvements
we found bat guano 2 inches deep across the entire back half of the attic; this should cut way down on mosquitoes!
helpers
helpers
helpers
“and then, the animal goes in, and I pull it right here!”
view from the southwest
view from the southeast
our river view (what’s left of it after neighbors built a house in front of us!)
our next door neighbors — four generations currently living in one house!