It is true that I have not written a blog post in a long time.  Lindsey has kept this going and I’ve allowed myself to go dark.  

Part of the reason is that is the lack of any good answer to the question “How is your eye?”  My vision really was not great.  I could see well enough to operate but it was a struggle to do very meticulous work.  There was debris floating in the back of the eye.  It would swirl around and just gave me the sensation that something wasn’t right.  I would get fatigued at the end of the day and driving was difficult.  It was kind of like seeing through a smudged windshield.  I could see, but it just bugged me, all the time.  I fixated on it and it gave me an excuse to be more irritable than I needed to be.  Lindsey can elaborate. 

Anyway, long story short, I underwent a vitrectomy.  This involves removing the jelly behind the eye (mine had turned to something more like jam) and replacing it with clear fluid.  I’m now two weeks out and I know it was the right decision.  My vision is clear!  I actually see great.  This has been a huge encouragement and an answer to prayer.  

Emmanuel and a friend. 

It is remarkable to think of the complexity of the parts which make up our bodies, and how much we forget about them, until they start to malfunction.  I’ve reached the age where I’ve begun to notice these little glitches. There’s an element of comedy in it, as we transition from the invincibility of youth to the stage where things start to fall apart.  It’s like driving a 2006 truck with 140,000 miles on it.  You’re just waiting to see what goes out next.   

For my part, the experience has filled me with a sense of gratitude that God has allowed me to continue to serve despite my frailty.  Surgery is one of those jobs which you can’t do forever.  Eventually the eyes don’t see well enough, the tremor gets too pronounced and the hands can’t be relied upon to tie a good knot.  Then I’ll do something else, I guess.  

We’ve been back in the US for a couple of weeks now.  It has been a time of refreshment as we’ve caught up with old friends.  We’ve enjoyed attending our church in Boone and attending our small group.  We’ve also enjoyed the chance to catch up on projects around the house.  These have included patching up a driveway, replacing boards on a deck, spreading mulch and such.  There is joy in doing these manual tasks, and also a relief in knowing that no one is going to call me with a life-threatening problem.  We’ve enjoyed
seeing Emmanuel interact with friends, play soccer and experience all that Boone has to offer in the springtime.  

We love the Blue Ridge parkway.

Despite being away from Congo, it is always on our minds and hearts.  I continue to receive consults from afar and there is always some pressing matter to attend to.  We continue to pray for the peace of the region.  Nyankunde has enjoyed a period of peace and tranquility, but there continues to be a darkness which is under the surface.  Recently we heard a distressing story involving several children who were suspected of sorcery and put in prison.  Through much prayer and discussion they were released.  It could have well taken a darker turn.  Anyway, I mention this just to explain that in the context in which we live, people are not surprised at the notion that a child-sorcerer might be a “thing”.  Such is the degree of superstition, fear and evil. On the surface, we live in a village that appears to have been “Christianized” but sometimes the veneer seems pretty thin.  In a way it’s discouraging, but in a way, it is confirmation that we are there for a reason, to speak out against the darkness.  

Our container has arrived in Nyankunde!

We will be around until the end of June.  Emmanuel will finish up the third grade and we have a few trips planned.  We are enjoying the springtime in Boone and giving thanks to God.   

Warren, for all of us