Work has been crazy and more complex than ever, and the past year has been exhausting in so many ways. I’m making a point to get outside each day and I’m actively looking for other stress relievers, too. Some days have been successful, like a couple weeks ago when we had dinner in the park. It was Liasor’s suggestion because I was overwhelmed after work and it was a great getaway. I also took time that day to do an awesome twist-out hairstyle, which was stress-relieving for me. This week hasn’t been the best. A couple nights ago, I felt the weight of stress and overwhelm to the point of insomnia and panic. I prayed and tried to rest, but my mind kept racing. Friends and family, what has helped you relax and change your outlook in stressful, overwhelming times? The past year has gone by quicker than any other I can remember! A year ago, I was turning 28 with a one-month-old newborn. I had all sorts of emotions (and hormones) surging through my body. Since that point, so much has happened. My son, Simeon, is now a toddler. These past months of our lives have been quite the ride.
Adding creativity to each day. Today it was an outfit. #creativity #expression #shoppingmycloset
Thank you for all the sweet birthday wishes and for all the love and support over the past year. I’m incredibly thankful for the people God has placed into my life! On June 18, 2019, Liasor and I welcomed our precious son, Simeon, into the world. He is already quite the character and a sweet companion! Pregnancy: Pregnancy was such a journey - one that I enjoyed. Early on, I realized how little I actually knew about gestation and childbirth - despite high school and college biology - so I mustered up the courage to ask my doctor one embarrassing question after another. Books, classes, pregnancy apps, and Google were also helpful!. My favorite parts of pregnancy:
The toughest parts of pregnancy:
Birth: Simeon was born on his due date after 26 hours of labor, including four hours of pushing! (I pushed for one hour, then rested, then pushed for three more hours!) Towards, the end, I was falling asleep (i.e. passing out) in between each push. I also experienced labor tremors, which caused my body to shake throughout the experience. As my friend Audrey said so eloquently: childbirth is synonymous with intense. Reflections on childbirth:
Our Hospital Stay:
Adjusting to New Life: Sleep...what is that? Before Simeon was born, I cannot tell you how many people told me: "Make sure you get rest now before the baby comes!" "When the baby is born, sleep when the baby sleeps!" All these people were so wise! We are still functioning on very little sleep, but Liasor and I have been taking turns letting each other nap. Having our moms help out the first couple weeks was invaluable, but things got real when they went back to work! I'm proud of us for how we've grown as parents and as a couple in just a short time. The learning curve was steep, but learning comes quickly when thereʼs necessity! Time Flies! I try to take as many pictures and videos as I can because Simeon changes so much week to week. I rejoice - and cry a little inside - each time Simeon reaches a new milestone. Breastfeeding can be difficult for momma and baby to learn! I used to get so flustered when trying to feed Simeon and watching him get more and more upset as I floundered around, trying to figure out how to feed him. It was heartbreaking to me at first, but I quickly found out I wasnʼt alone and got so much support and help from family and lactation specialists. Now, Simeon and I are becoming pros. The illusion of balance. I'm a perfectionist by nature, but I've had to learn that sometimes the dishes wonʼt get done. Guests may come over and the house may not look like Pinterest and thatʼs okay. It was okay even before Simeon was born, and itʼs okay now. Still, this lesson has been hard for me. Even as I'm typing this, I'm staring at a basket of clean laundry that has been sitting in our living room for what feels like eternity. I remind myself of gratitude. Being thankful for all the blessings so that I donʼt have to sweat the unimportant. Yes, at some point we should put our clothes away, but if it doesnʼt happen today, we will survive and life goes on. I'm also learning the new rhythm of motherhood. I have historically been very independent and I like to get up and go do something fun and interesting when I get the urge. Now, I'm learning the beauty of sacrificing some of that independence in order to pick up new responsibilities and sweet cuddles! There are times when Liasor will take Simeon so I can go out for dinner with family or friends, and I'll do the same for him to go to his soccer games. But I recognize that life is very different now that our little guy is here. It is an adjustment for sure, but I'm thankful that we had 9 months to prepare for this new stage and that we have support as we continue to learn and adapt. Liasor and I are also in the process of learning more about Simeon and his quirks. We are discovering that he makes certain sounds and cries based on his different needs, and he has quite the set of lungs to accomplish this. He also likes to fall asleep on our chests and has proven to be rather cuddly so far. He loves to make animated faces and do exaggerated stretches all day long! Celebrating my 28 years and his 1 Month: On July 18, Simeon turned one month old. The next day, on July 19, I turned 28. We spent the past two weekends celebrating. Our friend Suzanne also took the beautiful photos below! Other Life Updates: Uduk Hope and international projects: Visit liasor.com to read more about Liasorʼs time in Ethiopia this past winter. For those who follow Uduk Hope, be on the lookout for updates via our newsletter, which should come out in the next few weeks (or sooner), Simeon permitting. You can receive the newsletter by joining our mailing list through udukhope.com or you can follow us on Facebook or Instagram (@udukhope). Thank you everyone for your support, prayers, visits, and sweet gifts. It has meant the world! Much love, Christine "Hear the Word, roaring as thunder With a new future to tell For the dry season is over There is a cloud beginning to swell..." These Elevation Worship lyrics rocked my soul as I drove home from work on Monday. Perhaps because I'm entering into a new season, with a fresh overflowing of joy as I leave what felt like a dry patch. I'm excited about the new things the Lord is about to do! Itʼs been 10 months since I last wrote here on my blog. The past 10 months have been incredibly busy and sometimes agonizingly tough, but now I'm stepping into a new rhythm. :) New Job: When I returned to the USA from Oxford, England last autumn, I started a job at which I worked until this past August. It was a great learning experience, but it wasnʼt a good fit and caused me a lot of stress. Just last week, I started a brand new position which is an answer to prayer, and I'm EXTREMELY excited about it! I'll be advising for a portfolio of study abroad programs in a few regions around the world - and my most popular program is in Granada, Spain!! (where I studied abroad myself, where Liasor and I met, where we honeymooned, and where I've had life-changing experiences). I get to talk with students about the Universidad de Granada and the CLM (Centro de Lenguas Modernas), which I know all too well. Talk about full circle! I'm also looking forward to working with our university partners abroad!! Last year, when Liasor and I went back to Granada for our honeymoon, I had this gnawing feeling deep down that I wanted to find a job or a project that would connect me to Spain again and utilize my Spanish-speaking skills again. Who knew that a year - and a bumpy, winding road - later, here Iʼd be. My commute to work is much longer now, but itʼs incredibly scenic. The ride allows me to get in the right mindset before and after work, and I LOVE listening to the Bible, audiobooks, and podcasts during the drive. Itʼs like a breath of fresh air. Continued Work with Dr. Wendy James: Apart from our full time jobs, we've also been able to tap back into the work we did last summer in Oxford, England with Dr. Wendy James. She visited us in Rochester last week and we did some more work on her recorded songs from Bonga Refugee Camp in the 1990s and 2000s, and earlier songs from the 60s from the Uduk people. It was great making more headway on that project! Uduk Hope Incorporated (UHI): The past few months have been tough ones for Uduk Hope. Liasor and I have found it increasingly hard to balance working full time jobs to support ourselves while also managing all of the operational tasks of Uduk Hope on our own. Once Liasor returned from Ethiopia last winter, we set out to find more active board members, which proved difficult since Uduk Hope doesnʼt have any paid positions at this time. All of the work we do is volunteer. We were able to bring on an amazing new member, Tabitha Inna, to the team and sheʼs been a tremendous help. We spent a lot of time trying to reshape UHI in ways that would be more sustainable for us to manage, and we've finally arrived at a new strategic plan! We're focusing on developing small businesses (local stores) in each of the four refugee camps, which will generate money to help support education scholarships, school feedings, faith-based observances, and community needs. In this way, we wonʼt have to depend on donors here in the USA to keep programs going in Ethiopia and South Sudan - although we still appreciate and accept any and all donations! This model was already in practice on a smaller-scale in Doro Refugee Camp. Back in 2016, when we went to South Sudan, we started a local shop run by our UHI team in Doro with only $500. The shop sells salt, sugar, and tea which are in high demand in Doro. The proceeds go towards needs in the community. The local UHI team has the ability to decide based on their needs how they will use the money as it relates to UHIʼs three pillars of education, faith, and community development. Our Board provides guidance to the team on the best ways to use the proceeds. Our plan is to start the same type of stores in the other three camps in Ethiopia that will generate revenue for community needs under UHIʼs pillars. We are optimistic that this model will allow the refugee communities to be self-sufficient and have a sustainable source of support, not solely dependent on our busy schedules and the unpredictable nature of donations. We're expanding the store-model to the USA as well, and I'm so excited about this next initiative which was one of my dreams from over a year ago! Here in Rochester, we will hold "pop-up thrift shop" events to sell gently-used clothing and household items to our local community. Half of the proceeds will go toward Uduk Hope (pouring back into the refugee-camp stores and initiatives). The other half will go toward supporting our churchʼs Bible Quizzing team! Liasor and I are leading the Bible Quizzing team at Heart & Soul Community Church. Liasor participated in bible quizzing when he was younger, but it is a new program to me. Basically itʼs just as it sounds: Itʼs for youth in middle and high school who want to memorize passages of Scripture in a fun, and competitive way. Itʼs been such a thrill coaching our team of 7 students together. Right now we're focused on memorizing passages from Jonah and Luke. Our first competition is tomorrow! But back to the pop-up shop: Itʼs called a "pop-up" because we will open our store periodically in different locations and communities around Rochester, and maybe in other cities in the future. Our first pop-up shop is next month at Heart & Soul Community Church! Check out the flyer below. If you are in town, please consider stopping by! You can also help by donating clothes and spreading the word! A great portion of items in the shop come from our own wardrobes as we've decided to be the first to donate to this cause. :) I've always dreamed of running a boutique, and this feels like the best way to do that for the best reasons - at a schedule we can control. And it doubles as a way for me to clear out my closet and be a blessing to others! New Initiative: beyondBeanie Ambassador I'm also excited to announce a new initiative that I was chosen for. I'm now an ambassador for an organization called beyondBeanie. Itʼs a social fashion brand that combines fashion with solidarity. Each purchase supports the work of 23 talented artisans from El Alto, La Paz, and Cochabamba, Bolivia. The proceeds go toward providing essentials such as school meals, school supplies, school uniforms, and dental care to children who need it. Check out their awesome handmade beanies, bags, bracelets, and ponchos at my personal ambassador link: http://bit.ly/2DNxdfe Use the code CHRISTINE25 to get 25% off any purchases! •1 beanie = 5 meals •1 bracelet = 1 dental care Upcoming Trips: Another big update: Thereʼs a church in Salt Lake City with many Uduk members that has completed the translation of the Jesus Film into ʼTwam Pa, the Uduk language. The Jesus Film is the story of the Gospel told through film. Itʼs been an ongoing interest to have the film translated into ʼTwam Pa and that project has finally been completed. Leaders from the church reached out to Liasor to request that he take copies of the film along with projectors and sound equipment to the refugee camps in Ethiopia, on a fully-funded mission. They knew that he had traveled to Ethiopia around this time last year and they know he has access to the refugee camps. So he heads there in December. We're excited that he was chosen for this opportunity and we're hoping that I can come for a portion of the trip to visit him, if I can work out the vacation time at work. While in Ethiopia, he'll also have the chance to get the Uduk Hope local stores started in Sherkole, Tsore, and Tongo Refugee Camps. On his way back to Rochester, Liasor will have a short stop (about a week) in Oxford, England to do more work with Dr. Wendy James on the translation project. It will be a rich time indeed. This all works out well with Liasorʼs teaching schedule here in Rochester, so that is a true blessing! The difficulty will be spending a period of time apart again. Please pray that everything works out for me to visit Liasor for a portion of his time in Ethiopia. Life in General: Life in general has been good. Liasor has been busy teaching, coaching soccer, and leading Bible Quizzing with me. We decorated the house with pumpkins, flowers, and scented pine cones this week and it officially feels like my favorite season. Oh, how I love fall! I had a month away from work before transitioning to my new job. That month was a sweet period of spending time with people I love, learning new recipes, making our home nice and cozy, and going on small adventures around Rochester. I got to go on a retreat with the women at my church, which was refreshing. That resting period has prepared me to re-enter the office-life with renewed energy and excitement. My month break was also a huge leap of faith, because my contract ended at my former job while I was still waiting to hear back from this current role. I'm counting every blessing because I was not chosen for the position I applied for at first here in my office, but my current position was created so that I could also join the team. I'm immensely honored and content. My position is temporary with an end date in the summer, but I trust God that He already has plans for what the next season holds - whether that means a renewed contract or another leap of faith! But today - yes today - His grace is sufficient and I need not worry about the future - what I will eat, what I will wear, where I will work. Instead of worrying, I offer gratitude for this exciting work experience here in the present. No matter what happens, I'm in awe of just how this new season is saturated with blessings. These blessings come with their fair share of difficulties, growing pains, and lessons learned. But after the dry season of so much searching, figuring things out, and uncertain late night prayers - this rain sure feels good. Indeed, there is a cloud beginning to swell. Much love, Christine Published 10/12/2018 Hi all. Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! What a historic day to find time to write again. Also Happy New Year to all those who celebrated! (I recently learned that the Ethiopian calendar differs greatly from the widely-used Gregorian calendar; currently in Ethiopia it's the year 2010 and the new year occurs in our September). This year has been off to a good start after being reunited with Liasor, celebrating the holidays with both our families, learning so much at my new job (in November I started a new position in my field of global/international education!), making plans for our focuses and commitments for 2018, and creating a joint family calendar! Liasor’s Ethiopia Updates: Liasor had a very successful time in Ethiopia with his research goals. He was granted full access in Sherkole Refugee Camp, so he was able to speak with people from all the different ethnic and religious groups in the camp. In Tongo and Tsore Camps, he was only allowed to speak with Uduk people and no other ethnic groups, but he left with invaluable research regardless. Here are some major results of his research:
Reflections on this MLK Jr. Day:
In recent weeks, I've become increasingly disheartened by the hurtful political rhetoric being tossed around so carelessly. Sometimes we forget the humanity we all share, no matter where we come from or how we look or what issues we support. Sometimes we get threatened when someone else (especially historically under-represented groups) fights for their humanity, as if by doing so it would take away from our own. It doesn’t. I remember today that Martin Luther King was an activist, not always liked or praised. His protests were often not well-received and he was jailed, threatened, and ultimately killed for his platform along with so many others who stood with him. It's easy to look back and praise what he stood for, but forget the slew of resistance and danger he faced and the unpopularity of his message at the time. Many around the world and in this country fight similar battles for their communities, their needs, their humanity, even if viewed as unpopular today. May we always stand for what is right, no matter the climate around us. Today I remember all those who fought so I could have the opportunities I have today. Today I’m reminded of how far we’ve come in this country in terms of race-relations, but how far we still need to go! There’s still great work to be done and systems to change, so that will be a life-long pursuit of mine. I’m reflecting on what ways in my everyday life and at work I can be an agent of change for reconciliation and improvement in my community and country. Today, I’m also thankful for ways to do similar work for our family in Doro, Sherkole, Tongo, and Tsore Refugee Camps and I pray we can come up with useful, sustainable ways of being of support to them. A few quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. that are on the forefront of my mind today: “I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.” “I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.” “Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” Happy Wednesday! A huge thank you to everyone who has been supporting Uduk Hope, following Liasor’s trip to Ethiopia, and has kept Liasor in your prayers. Liasor has officially wrapped up his work in Sherkole Refugee Camp for the time being and has moved on to the second camp of interest, Tongo Refugee Camp. So here is another brief update on all that’s been happening.
Those are all Liasor's updates for now. I am also doing well, in my own process of trying to find rest amidst a somewhat taxing job application process that is finally coming to an end! But God has been good and faithful, and he has surrounded me with the most wonderful community of people and family during this time. So I am incredibly thankful! I have been down at times, if I’m honest, sheerly from the pain of being far from my husband, but the people around me in this season have given me many reasons to smile, laugh deeply, and just be myself. I’m so grateful for them. Thanks again for all your support and prayers. It means so much! Christine Hi all. Here’s another brief update on Liasor’s time in Ethiopia on behalf of Uduk Hope.
Thanks for your thoughts, prayers, and continued support! Christine Hi all. Just want to share a brief update on Liasor's time in Ethiopia as he endeavors to do research and develop partnerships for Uduk Hope Inc. He just completed a long journey from Addis Ababa to Assosa and is resting up before some big meetings tomorrow. He plans to visit Tongo and Sherkole refugee camps and at least one other camp where Uduk people and other Blue Nile refugees currently reside.
Liasor spent the first week and a half of his trip in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Here are a few updates and praise reports from his time there:
So over the past 13-14 hours Liasor traveled by van from Addis Ababa to the town of Assosa (which is the area where he was born in a transit camp called Langkwai). This will be his first time back in this area since his early childhood, and I have to admit I truly wanted to be there with him during this return. His taxi driver friend was not able to come with him on the long journey, but he was accompanied by his new bodyguard. Liasor also got in touch with two Uduk students who live in one of the camps outside of Assosa, one of whom is a close childhood friend. These two students traveled from Assosa to Addis yesterday to meet Liasor in the capital and then accompanied him today from Addis back to Assosa. I'm so happy Liasor has found such great connections and support from friends new and old! Liasor, his bodyguard, and his two student friends just recently arrived in Assosa today and they are resting in a hotel there for the night. The trip took longer than expected because of youth protests along the border that blocked some of the roads. Tomorrow, Liasor will meet up with one of his uncles and they will go together to the ARRA office in Assosa to request access for Liasor to enter the camps and to conduct research, create partnerships, and potentially build an Uduk Hope team in each camp. Liasor is nervous about this meeting with ARRA. While he is confident that they'll grant him entry to the camps because he has family there, he is still nervous about whether ARRA will approve his work and research. Please be praying for the officials to be receptive to the work Liasor and others of the Uduk diaspora are attempting to do to support their people and other Blue Nile Refugees through Uduk Hope Inc. And please pray for Liasor's continued safety and for the safety of each and every person he meets. We praise God for all the wonderful connections and friendships Liasor has developed. He hasn't been without great support since he arrived and first entered his hotel back in Addis. Liasor will have limited internet connectivity once he enters the camps. He'll most likely be able to use apps like Facebook and Whatsapp, but he might not be able to video chat as often as we'd like which is most difficult for us personally so keep us in your prayers as well. My quick personal updates now that I'm back in the USA: I had a lovely week and a half in Cleveland, Ohio with my side of the family. It was so refreshing spending time with my parents and siblings and extended fam. Tomorrow as Liasor heads to his big meeting with ARRA in Assosa, I'll be traveling back to Rochester, NY where I have my own big job interview. I'm looking forward to seeing Liasor's side of the family in Rochester and connecting with everyone there. See you all soon! Love, Christine Happy Saturday! I'm back in the USA and Liasor is in Ethiopia, but I want to share some reflections on our last week in Oxford and Liasor's journey in Ethiopia. I started writing this post while flying over beautiful sights of Greenland and the Labrador Sea! I had embarked on a long journey that started with a 2 hour bus ride from Oxford to London Gatwick Airport. From London I flew to Reykjavik, Iceland for a quick layover, and then it was on my second flight from Iceland to Boston that I got to see the beautiful views of Greenland. I flew with WOW air, a new airline that features purplish-pink aircrafts and incredibly affordable prices. The last leg of my trip involved a third flight from Boston to Cleveland, Ohio (my hometown) to spend time with my parents for a couple weeks. Liasor had his own long whirlwind journey from Oxford to London Heathrow Airport, then to Hamad International Airport in Qatar, and finally he arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We had originally planned to go to Ethiopia together, but as I mentioned in my last two posts, there’s been recent unrest in and around the refugee camps we planned to visit. We received multiple messages from family in Ethiopia saying they believed this wasn’t the best time for me to visit the camps. So we decided Liasor would go forward to do research and establish partnerships for Uduk Hope Inc., the nonprofit organization we are currently leading which supports Blue Nile refugees and others in the region (many of whom are friends and family). We believe Liasor will be much better suited to navigate traveling between cities and the refugee camps to accomplish this work in this otherwise uncertain climate. It was such a hard decision for us both (the last thing we want is to experience long distance again!), but God has paved the way and has already opened many doors for Liasor to do this important work (from dear friends gifting us with plane tickets, to important meetings being set up for him with organizational leaders both in England before he left and in Ethiopia once he arrived). Liasor gave me the following update this weekend: In the first days, he had a chance encounter at his hotel with the leader of an international organization interested in Uduk Hope's education efforts. Next week he will have a meeting with the leadership of that organization, as well as meetings with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and a university in Addis that a few Uduk contacts attend. He is doing well and asked for continued prayer for his upcoming meetings and for his safety. I am praying for more doors to continue to open in Ethiopia that could hopefully lead to partnerships for Uduk Hope. I’m also praying for successful research to determine how Uduk Hope can support refugees in the Ethiopian camps along the South Sudanese border similar to how we have begun supporting the people in Doro Refugee Camp on the South Sudanese side of the border. Most personally, I want Liasor to stay safe. Although Liasor and I are in different places and our time in the U.K. has come to a close, I want share a bit about our final week together in Oxford, England, where we were working for the past three months. Work Updates: In the last week we did as much as we could to wrap up our translation/archival project with Dr. Wendy James before taking off. Much of the work will continue remotely and there’s a great chance we’ll meet together again with Wendy in 2018 either in Rochester, NY or back in Oxford to continue the work we began. We made a lot of progress translating songs on video from Bonga Refugee Camp from 1994 and 2000, and I got to complete a catalogue to organize and categorize the many hours of footage. Liasor began translating songs and conversations from Uduk communities from the 1960s as well. I personally learned so much this past summer with the opportunity to dive into this work and be surrounded by the language and the history. Some of the topics Liasor translated discussed tough subjects like the loss of life and displacement from home. Others were more lighthearted, like love songs or songs poking fun at others. It was very reflective, engaging work that I look forward to tapping into again. In the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing some of Wendy's videos with our family and larger Uduk community in the USA. Personal Updates: This summer, I got a lot of personal work done: I took an online course that I've been wanting to take for over a year now; I redesigned my personal website and blog (check out the different pages!); I began planning for some exciting ventures for 2018 which I’m currently writing grant proposals for; and I reflected on my next career steps and how to plug back into language learning when I return to Rochester. I also got TONS of rest. I think I slept in almost everyday of our time in Oxford, apart from the times when we had early morning meetings or church. I’m also so thankful for the church family we found in Oxford. Our last day together in the city fell on a Sunday and we heard a very powerful message at church, ending the summer-long series on the Sermon on the Mount. Sunday’s message was about the need for obedient, habitual commitment if we desire to excel at anything in life, including our walk with Christ. To build a spiritual foundation that doesn’t shake when the wind and the storms come (because storms will come in each of our lives), we have to be in the habit of daily constructing our foundation (through reading and putting Scripture into practice daily and through committing to communities where we are growing and loving one another). And none of this should be out of a legalistic desire to simply follow rules and commandments, but rather out of the wonder of the love we have been given and the fact that we have a Father who wants us to know and grow closer to him and to those around us. The church community prayed for us, for our futures, for Uduk Hope, for the struggles the refugee communities are facing, for recent events all around the world, and they prayed for Liasor and me during our time apart. They also asked for ways to support us and our work. The love we felt was overwhelming and it was a very emotional Sunday. My good friend, LaVonia, also came to visit which brought great fun to an otherwise busy last week in Oxford. It was wonderful catching up and sightseeing with her. We got to show LaVonia our daily lives in Oxford and our favorite places to hang out. One of the best moments was when we took LaVonia to our favorite pub, Rose and Crown, for great conversations together. Future Trips:
We originally planned to visit Ireland and family in Germany, but those trips didn’t work out in the end. I was especially disappointed about not making it to visit my uncle and family in Germany, like I usually do each time I'm in Europe, but I'm determined to save up and make that trip happen next summer, Lord willing! Next Steps: Now I’ll spend the next week in Cleveland, Ohio while Liasor spends the next week in Addis, the capital of Ethiopia. From then, I’ll travel to Rochester, New York to pursue some career opportunities there and connect with family, and Liasor will travel on to Assosa, Ethiopia (the area where he was born, in a transit camp called Langkwai). In Assosa, Liasor will begin planning to visit the refugee camps close by. I’m so so thankful for the past three months that we had in Oxford. It was such a sweet time all around. We got to work on an engaging project, build relationships with great scholars and friends, and get to know a new city together. We also got to go on our Spanish honeymoon a couple weeks ago (although this whole time in Oxford felt like an extended honeymoon to me)! I miss Liasor so much, and I can’t wait to see him in December (it seems like an eternity away). In the meantime, I’m looking forward to spending some great time with both our families and making my next career move. Thank you very much for thinking of us and praying! Love, Christine P.S. Here are some beautiful aerial night views of Boston and Cleveland. (The first two photos are Boston and the others are Cleveland. In Cleveland you can make out Tower City and Progressive Field). :) |
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