Back in Homer.

We are safely back in Homer, but as I write this the café I am sitting in is having internet problems so it might be a day or two before I can post this. Yeah the internet is down on the base too. That’s life though. Any way, things are going good and we are settling back into life off the island. We are getting used to things moving a bit faster, a lack of snow, and having the things we want right at our finger tips. Also, something I was noticing yesterday was the quietness. Normally by 3:30 the church was full of noisy kids demanding our attention which we happily gave them, but yesterday (Sunday) at 3:30 Lindsay was sleeping and I had no idea what to do with myself. I actually had time to myself on a nice sunny day.

So things have changed a lot, but it has been a good transition. We are missing the island a bit though. It is funny how that works. While you are there you just focus on what you are there to do knowing that your time is limited, but you talk some about all the things you can’t wait to get back home for. Real milk instead of powdered milk. Real cheese. A hamburger, Mc Donald’s maybe. Pop that doesn’t cost $10.50 for a twelve pack. Something other than standard Folgers coffee. Yeah, we are spoiled with good coffee here in Homer. Oh, and fruit. Man did we miss fresh fruit. Well, we have had a chance to indulge our selves on a few of these things, over the last two days. Now I find myself wishing I had another day or two back on the island to try to have those conversations that I didn’t have time for while I was there. Also, a chance to say good bye to some people that didn’t make it by the church our last two days.

I guess I really didn’t know how much God had been using us all until it was time to go. When the kids start asking you to stay for another week, people start telling you about all the things on the island they would like to show you over the summer months when the snow is gone, or just the sadness in someone’s eyes as goodbyes are said not knowing if they will ever see you again, it really touches you. We swapped phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and mailing addresses, but it is hard to think of a "pen pal" relationship after so many face to face meetings with people. We are committed to keeping in touch with many people though. Lindsay has already talked to some of the girls she connected with, and I have sent some e-mails (today finally).

As we have been able to sit and talk with the whole team a bit, we are seeing how God has moved in people’s lives in so many ways. Everyone on the team has been impacted greatly by the things we saw, the stories we heard, and all the people we met. It is really one of those things where you go in wanting to pour into people as much as you can, but in the end it seems like you have learned and received so much more than expected. I can’t describe it. God is good.
As the week goes on and we spend some time processing, we will try to put up a few more pictures and a few more stories. So, keep an eye out for that. Thank you for your prayers and support. The Freelands