Handbag and Other Presents 22.5.2007

Sorry for the long silence in the blogworld – but definitely it has not been silent in the actual world. After Jyri´s last exam, we put the high gear on. He is now driving to Hyrynsalmi, car packed with… who knows what! I have shoveled the books into boxes and should be carrying them to attic. Much harder than any workout. Yesterday we went to our first visit to Eno congregation, 35 km from Joensuu. As some of you may know, our work is supported by Finnish congregations, who channel the support through FELM, our mission agency in Helsinki. We have 5 congregations which is the normal number: Mellunkylä in Helsinki, Kuopio Cathedral, Nilsiä, Hyrynsalmi and Eno. We were welcomed so warmly last night, and came home with bags full of presents, pastries, cloudberries and so. I even got a new Marimekko handbag! I felt so spoiled, somehow even ashamed: we have done nothing to deserve this. And how did they know that I am almost obsessed with handbags and Marimekko. (For my friends in Iringa who know about this: Marimekko manufactures also handbags in olive green safari style! Guess who has one.)

It is known all over the Finland, that people in Carelia is so hospitable – it has become even a stereotype in people´s minds, but it is true! Similar hospitality we have enjoyed in all of our congregations, and it always takes me by surprise. I try to think this is not me or us personally, it is for the work, for Africa, for all this, the larger picture. I feel humble, grateful – I really do, I don´t say this to sound spiritually correct. Thank you so much.

I have had really heavy heart about Pihla. She suddenly turned strongly against our moving to Tanzania. She was okay with it, even eager – and some weeks or couple of months ago she told us this is not a good thing. It has been like a dark cloud hanging there and it has made all the preparations so much harder. Kaisli is returning to Tanzania in her very straightforward style, but Pihla is not. It came to me so strongly yesterday, when I was doing the packing and emptying the bookshelf, and was wondering what she would say when she returns from school and everyhing looks so empty. But to my big surprise: nothing bad happened, no protest, no crying – and instead of that, she became rather impatient and declared that I too want to pack up my toys and books, can we do it now, mom? Also she started having daydreams about going shopping in Iringa (!), going to those little duka´s which are a perfect opposite to every shopping center in Finland… Everything suddenly looked different to her, and I felt like a heavy burden was taken away – all is going to be fine, we survive this moving, we will be happy in Africa again, we don´t need to worry.