Turbulence

On a regular basis since arriving in Costa Rica, we try to check in with the kids to see how they are feeling and experiencing all the change in their lives.  Kevin shared one night that it is completely normal to one day feel excited to be in a new place and the next day, seemingly out of the blue, to be frustrated, discouraged, or sad.  Seth had been quietly listening and then he shared, "I think being in a new culture is like feeling turbulence on a plane.  You are going along just fine and then, boom, you feel it!  It's kind of scary and exciting at the same time."

I honestly could not have said it better.  I sat in awe at his ability to articulate the reality of a change to a different culture and really any life change.  I've been thinking about this metaphor for days as I have personally been experiencing days and moments of "smooth sailing" and several surprising jolts as well.  What's hard about turbulence is that the pilot gives you a little warning it might be coming, but you never know exactly when the plane will hit it.  As much as I knew ahead of time that my family would feel stress in a new culture, when and how the stress is expressed still feels jarring. 

Turbulence makes us feel out of control.  It is uncomfortable and unpredictable.  It reveals the reality that we are very small people, thousands of feet in the air, on a journey between two destinations.  This speaks to me about how in all of life when we have the experience of being "between", we are constantly undergirded and protected by God.  As much as we crave to feel in control and to have a "pleasant" journey, the jolts humble us and remind us of our frail state and our need for a Savior. 

At week three, we have felt a few bouts of turbulence but we also have the joy of the view from above and feel deeply the awe of being carried from one place to another.
-Sarah Wilson