For the Love of Learning

I love learning. 

I love understanding new things, new concepts, new ideas, new ways of thinking.

So, this is super great for being here in France; learning the language, living in this culture. Right? That's what I thought!


When we arrived, we did a placement exam to determine how much we knew and what class would be best. I will admit, I was kinda happy when I placed into a higher class then Jesh (let's face it, being married to a surgeon but never even doing college courses myself, I'm pretty used to Jesh being the academically accomplished one:).

Well, needless to say, my delight lasted about a minute. It was quickly followed by the thought "how on earth I would join a class that's already been studying this language for 8 months?"

Oh man, have I been in for a ride! Some days, I am nodding along with my classmates as I semi-understand the new grammar being taught. And then there are many days when I'm sitting there like, huh?

Amidst the ups and downs, one word has repeatedly surfaced.

Humility.

It's super humbling to sit in class and see most people get what's going on, and have the understanding wash over you that you might in fact be the one who knows the least.

It's super humbling to go to the grocery store and freeze when the lady comes to the deli counter to help.

Or how about the time the cashier asked if I had any change, and I stood there with a handful of it, slowly turning over each piece until I could read what the different values were? All the while the line up grew. And I couldn't yet explain that I am new to France, so I just looked kind of dumb! (I have quickly learned how to say that I am a student who is learning French:)

Let's not talk about the time during the first week of classes when I was asked a question, and as my teacher looked at me expectantly, I just teared up cause I was so overwhelmed with all the words I was trying, and failing, to understand! (My subsequent attempt at unravelling the large volumes of grammar now includes a dedicated grammar wall. Yes, friends, this is just the highlights of the grammatical portion of our studies thus far.)

It's pretty funny to think how much has changed in a couple months. I can now apologize for my poor french. And as someone to repeat themselves in semi-coherent way. And while I don't always know what to say, I am quickly learning what NOT to say! I've become pretty good at avoiding talking to the deli counter lady altogether by just pointing and saying "that!"

And yet, over and over I continue to be humbled.

Last week in volleyball, the organizer was explaining how we were gonna do one of the drills. He looked at me to see if I understood, and all I could do was look at him blankly.

And then there was the "bisou". Oh, that was just embarrassing. Have you heard or seen the french do the cheek-kissing thing? I was warned about this. I had heard stories, I had managed to avoid it so far. I don't totally know when you do it, or how many you do, so I've been content to just smile and say some sort of appropriate greeting.

Until it happened. I had just arrived at a practice, and had set my stuff down, when one of the guys was walking past. As he came toward me, I assumed he was needing to get past, so I dodged - only to realize he had been going in for a "bisou." I'm hoping a quick laugh and my excuse of being new was enough to lessen the awkwardness - for him, at least.

In the end, I don't know if I will know the volume of grammar and vocabulary well enough to move up to the next level after Christmas. It's hard to consider I might not do well, and yet I'm trying to remember that I can still glorify him, even if I can't quite get my head around the "subjunctive". Or the causative, or future simple, the passive, too...

So, all I can do is continue to learn- some French, and a lot of humility.

Q & A with Jesh & Julie Thiessen - by Jaime L. Fenwick

Our wonderful and incredibly talented friend Jaime from www.jaimelaurenphotography.com did a fun interview with us last month. We thought it would be fun to post (especially for those who have newly joined us in this journey!). And for the rest, who knows? Maybe there will be something you didn't know!


(to view larger, click image in top right corner)

I have 13 children

Delicious food, magnificent castles and exciting places to explore are just some of the things we have enjoyed in our spare time...

But the reality is that most of the time we are knee-deep studying French. For Julie and I and our kids, this means taking classes during the week where there is no/minimal english spoken while try to learn new vocabulary and grammar. Sometimes just trying to figure out how to ask a question is a challenge. Then there is trying to speak. Today I told my barber that I had 13 children. Her eyes got a little wide till I realized my mistake.


Each night there are a few hours of homework where we try and consolidate what we have learned. It's very much like exercising in that it doesn’t feel good at first or the second or third time but with continual practise, you begin to see some progress. And like exercising, when you take too much time off, it hurts to start again. 

Recently our kids figured out the words Julie and I would spell to each other in English if we didn't want them to know. French is now our new cryptic way of talking around them without them knowing. And even though it is coming, don’t expect a newsletter in perfect French yet!

Most of our down time has been spent exploring our community and the surrounding areas. We are blessed to have a car that we can use and it has dramatically opened up our world. We generally go visit castles because, they are fun for the whole family. It is amazing to look at the rocks (yes the rocks), cut and placed together that have held for hundreds of years. 

As a family we often imagine what it was like to live during “castle times” Seija dreams of princesses, Kaden dreams of dragons and soldiers, Julie dreams of delicious banquets... but someone has to be the realist so I dream of all the firewood needed to keep the walls (13 ft thick in some places) warm in winter. And who was hauling all the stuff needed for the princesses, soldiers and banquets way up this mountain anyway? I have also pondered the immense time and energy placed into constructing these monuments of history. Vast quantities of resources and sweat was expended often over hundreds of years to make what stands today. 

Today we visited Chateau de Chantemerle, now abandoned, overgrown with plants with its glory fading with each passing year. I was challenged to think, am I investing in things that are going to last and I was reminded of this verse:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matt 6:19-21

We haven’t found any buried treasure in any of these castles yet but we am so grateful for the time we get to spend together as a family. I am grateful for the vision we have shared with many of you and for your prayers and financial resources that are allowing us to prepare to serve the people of Burundi....
By Jesh 

BANG BANG BANG

Bang, Bang, Bang. The sound is deafening. As we stare at the powerpoint presentation today at our security training, our lecture is abruptly interrupted by two masked men firing guns and yelling at us to get on the ground. DONT LOOK AT US! REMOVE YOUR WATCHES, PHONES and WALLETS. DONT LOOK AT US! The gunmen ensure we are all on the floor. Our valuables are removed from us. WHO IS YOUR LEADER! ANSWER ME WHO IS YOUR LEADER! a long pause and someone answers “I am”. Simulation over….

What am I willing to do to live out the gospel?  What does the bible say about risk? What is the difference between martyrdom and simply being a victim? Carjacking, interrogation, kidnapping simulations…. welcome to medical missions security training 101….It is humbling and seriously faith challenging. As I am sitting in a car with a gun to my head and a masked man yelling at me to get out…. it really makes me think about what is my role in living out the gospel and what is the value of my life and my family's in it all.

We have finished our orientation and training at Samaritan’s Purse International Headquarters and the Christian Medical and Dental Association where I have been challenged and inspired by visiting missionary doctors and surgeons some of whose biographies I have only read about in books. How do I deal with death and suffering all around and keep my confidence, skills and focus? How do I make ethical decisions when I don’t have enough resources for everyone? How do I practise surgery in a different country and culture? I am reminded about how important my relationship with Christ is and will need to be….

Julie and I have been able to refocus and rejuvenate during this kid-free time of orientation (thanks grandparents!!). Despite some intense scenarios and challenging talks, we have so enjoyed getting to know some incredible physician mentors and the next generation of post-resident doctors and their families whose lives and priorities are remarkably similar to ours. 

Being a fake hostage certainly does bring people close.

By Jesh

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There Goes Our Bedroom Set...

Literally, as I type this out.... there goes our bedroom set! Another item sold and another happy Kijiji customer. Sometimes when I think too hard about what we are doing and where we are going I wonder if what we are doing is crazy! Like selling all our stuff, giving up a well paying job, fundraising for finances and moving our family across the world. Moving a family across our globe is no small undertaking. It involves a sequence of decisions in a calculated manner and preparing for the unexpected.

One of those decisions was saying good bye to my truck! I loved my truck. It was powerful, 4wheel drive, leather and I was definitely not embarrassed to drive it. Not that I am embarrassed to drive our minivan with 16 cupholders (none of which are empty) and a box of cheerios strewn throughout the interior but there is something about a man and truck!...  It had moved us from Calgary to Yellowknife, Yellowknife to Calgary, Calgary to BC, BC to Ontario and Ontario to Indianapolis. We parted ways this week...just one more thing needing to make way for the mission. We have written a lot about stuff in our last few posts and this is probably because it is a lot of work to get rid of it! At first it seemed like we would miss many of our things but as more and more stuff is gone, we are feeling more and more free and less tied down.

In some ways our life is becoming more and more simplified but in others it is becoming more complex. When it all seems overwhelming, I think back to the many prayers that have been answered and the many small steps of faith that have got us this far. God is faithful. And when I don't know what to do I am reminded that "if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him." What an amazing promise that applies not just back then but also today.

And to add to the list of prayers answered, the shipping container containing our things arrived at Kibuye Hope Hospital this week! Our bins will now sit for a year waiting for us to arrive. Thank you for the many prayers and financial contributions that assisted in getting some things we will use and appreciate to the heart of Africa.

By Jesh

The layers of STUFF

Here I am in the beautiful sunshine, surrounded by things I once “needed”, watching passerbys haggle over 50 cents.

It’s Garage Sale day.

In spite of diligently selling off our possessions over the past year, I am amazed how many things I can still pull out of cupboards and off shelves. Things that I have hunted and bargained for, now acting like heavy stones, weighing us down.

You know that feeling? The weight removed as things get off-loaded?

I am feeling the joy of emptier cupboards and space on shelves. It never ceases to amaze me how much we can do without.

For us, the un-stuffing has been done in layers. First, the big things. The shelf that isn’t used, the VHS collection that takes up a whole bookcase, the library of unread books that “I’m totally gonna read one day!”

Next, the “I might want someday” items. Odd containers I think I have lids for somewhere, that purse I just had to have, the shirt that doesn’t really fit me well, but maybe it’ll fit again someday? The hair bands and chocolate making supplies and scrapbooking supplies (although I have never made a scrapbook – but someday I will, right?).

After that comes the I-use-it-once-a-month stuff. The jewellery, the fun scarf (#3, or was it 4 I had?). Don’t even get me started on baby toys…why is he happier playing with my Tupperware, anyways? And why do I still feel compelled to buy him 8 trucks and a ginormous bag of building blocks, which he doesn’t use to build with anyways?

I know in my head that we don’t need all that we have. I have experienced living with less, and the complete freedom of realizing we really can do without much of the frills and gadgets. Not to mention the time that is freed up. With a few less things to organize or dust or move from one drawer to the next, I’m convinced that less stuff takes less time.

And then there’s the money. A few summers ago, we had this dilemma. The many shelves Jesh had built had become full. So the next thing was to build a shed. The thing is, it would cost, what, $800? So, we spend $800 to store stuff that’s actual value accounts to far less then that…see the problem? (Here’s where the booming storage unit industry comes in).

One of my biggest concerns in this process of selling most of our things was how it may effect the kids. Turns out they don’t seem to really notice (this may in part be due to conditioning. I have been known to sell off their things in the past. To the point where Seija’s every-day shoes were tidied and placed by the door, and she asked me why I was selling them).  Still, with each layer we remove from the home, they have yet to really notice, let alone complain. The kitchen Seija played with got sold before Christmas, and we made a bookshelf with some left over kitchen goodies and called it her new kitchen. Their piggy banks were swapped with painted mason jars, and they haven’t batted an eye. Which begs the question…am I getting them things because they are need/are excited about it, or because I am? 

As we think of what will make it into 8 suitcases, the problem of how much stuff we have is severely highlighted. (This coming from someone who loves to shop, loves a good deal, and gets physically elated when there’s a big sale. All of which are not bad in and of themselves, but have certainly contributed to my full house).

You know that feeling when you find something that is too good a deal to pass up on? That sale of all sales? The deal of the month?

It turns out there is always more where that came from.

By Julie 

Not Finding Dory

Thank you to everyone who donated medical supplies and goods and contributed financially for our shipping container! It weighed in at 32,000lbs which was somewhat less than expected but well below the max weight of 40,000lbs. Luckily the container has not found Dory. Seija has been praying that it would not sink in the atlantic ocean after I showed her a YouTube video of containers on a ship in a storm and then she watched “Finding Dory” and saw the fish swimming around a sunken containership at the bottom of the ocean. Seems her prayers are being answered. I received word that it is due to arrive in Tanzania in about 1 week. We are grateful to everyone who continues to pray and assist us prepare for our work in Burundi. We pray that these resources would be used to bless Burundi in a positive way. 
By Jesh 

Top 12 Things I Have Learned In My Surgical Residency:

#12 The God of the bible never guaranteed a risk free or easy life.

#11 Prov 3:5-6 is a great way to relieve stress.

#10 Beside every great surgeon is an army of nurses/allied health workers.

#9 Sometimes people just die no matter how hard you work to keep them alive.

#8 In heaven I will be unemployed.

#7 When not to operate is harder to learn than when to operate.

#6 Sleep is just like any other necessity, it can be disciplined, rationed and forgone when needed.

#5 My most precious commodity to give my wife and kids is time.

#4 Perfect surgery does not compensate for arrogance.

#3 Every patient is made in the image of God.

#2 I can't make people feel better if I don't understand their suffering.

#1 If people are made in the image of God, you better know what you are doing when you operate on them.


By Jesh

That's How to Pack a Shipping Container...

Last week we drove our bins and a few other items to Indianapolis, where we met some of the members of our team to load the shipping container. Our stuff looked small compared to what was waiting at the warehouse!

The first of multiple aisles overflowing with goods
that will be put to use at Kibuye.

There were more then 3 aisles full of personal and medical supplies that people from the team, University and hospital had been collecting to get onto the container. I think we all wondered what would need to be set aside in order to get it all in!



The first job was to sort boxes and organize bins for the families that weren't in the country but had ordered things to the warehouse. The ability to do that was such a gift, thanks to the Free Methodist World Ministry Centre (and Amazon - oh, the things you can buy online!)

If you look closely at the back right, there's where
Kai spent much time hanging out - literally, he kept
a close eye on everything from his Jolly Jumper!

Next, the guys built a false floor above the two rows of bins. This was then able to support all the equipment, furniture, building materials, and large items.

Every space was well-utilized, even if that meant tucking books in every nook and cranny. It was amazing how much those guys fit in! And after a good game of tetris, there was even some stuffing space left. Easily filled with a quick trip to Costco...

Three days and about 200 man-hours later, it was packed up to begin the long journey to Burundi!

Some of the families will see there stuff by summer, but for our family, we will be waiting until we finish our language training. Sometime in 2018 we will get on the ground in Burundi, and once again see some of our very useful and wonderfully familiar items.

I hope there's some chocolate chips left by the time we make it there!



By: Julie

Mandatory Minimalism

25. That's the number of totes we have packed for our family. 25 tubs of stuff, squished, twisted and jammed into every nook and cranny. All our items, being sent off and not seen again for about 16 months, fits into about 25 black boxes (and a pile of odds and ends, to be fair).

How exactly does one reduce their worldly possessions to fit in 25 bins? Months, literally, of thinking and pondering, and yes, praying about what to send.

And lists. So many lists!!

What would you bring if you had 25 bins?

What would make the cut? The magazine collection? The cool kitchen toy that's an 'absolute must-have'? How about the cute basket that was "such a deal"?

As we have gathered our things and debated the merits of each item, I have been forced to consider what is truly worth having. You know what? There are a lot of things I can do without!

Someone walked into my house the other day and said "I thought it'd look more sparse in here!" But when life needs to fit into black and yellow squares, each item pondered, it's amazing what can be left behind.

Those dishes that I use once-a-year? Not gonna pay to send those across the ocean (which Jesh will be very happy about!). How about the over-sized serving tray that makes a chicken look like a chickadee? Or the extra glasses gathering dust in the back of my cupboard?

How many shoes does one really need, anyways? What number is the perfect mix of shirts and pants and skirts and sweaters to create the ideal wardrobe? A wardrobe that, for us, will pretty much be the same for 2 years (and needs to withstand red dirt and hand-washing!).

Don't even get me started on toys! I can't wait to say goodbye to Kids Pack collectibles and loot bag 'treasures'.

Don't get me wrong, I'm going to be so very grateful for the items that we have selected to make the journey to Burundi!

I can't wait to get to our new home and be met with some familiar items, like my cozy blanket and favourite baking dishes. Perhaps others wouldn't have selected beautiful mugs as something worth bringing, or the kitchen utensils I adore, but they are really going to help us settle in and make a home there.

We all have things that work for us, and are special to us. Maybe you don't know what baking ammonia even is, but I brought some so I can make the favourite christmas cookies that have been family tradition for years.

I'm learning that it's not about a martyr mentality, but seeking to understand what's really adding to our life and what is cluttering it up and bogging us down.

'Minimalism' seems to be the talk of the day, but I hope the concept goes beyond a momentary trend. Not that we are all gonna live in those sweet, idyllic Tiny Homes! Maybe for some it looks like going from a 3500 square foot house to a 1200 sq. ft. For us, it comes down to 25 bins. Whatever it may look like, let me say...it feels amazing to let go of the hold that stuff has, and recognize that it's true-less is more!


By Julie

Battling Busy-ness

We are on the last couple days of family vacation time, and I am finding that it took a full 9 days before I began to feel like I was unwinding. Jesh and I had originally discussed going away with the kids for a couple days, and thankfully never made that a plan. Honestly, we have enjoyed quiet mornings with no where we had to be. Coffee in hand, we have taken some time to slow down, and it's been life-giving. A breath of fresh of air.

I am reminded how quickly life moves forward, and we are often pulled along what can feel like a run-away train. 

The train our family has been on has been racing for many years now. In the last few months, it has felt like we are just trying to hold on with all we have. God has given us the strength to get through, and we are grateful for that. But as we look at this new year, I am aware that this pace, this feeling of anxiety that at any moment my grip could slip, is not healthy nor sustainable.

What do we do? The fact is what we are spending most our time on is necessary to complete this phase. Plans have to be made, packing has to be done, Jesh needs to invest in his work so he can pass his exam, and oh yeah, he also needs to study. Our children need to get to school, tummies full, and the never-ending list of household demands can't be ignored (at least not forever).

The irony is that as the schedules get tighter and the lists longer, I allow them take away what gives me the most sustenance. I trade my quiet time in the morning for a little extra sleep, my prayer time for re-organizing my lists. I run around trying to get things done, only to realize I have forgotten something and now the errand has to be done again. My days become chaotic and less-productive, my temper is short. It feels like at any moment the train is going to derail.

Over the holiday, I have been looking over a book I had previously read called "Ordering Your Private World" by Gordon MacDonald. As I have reviewed the many quotes and underlined portions, I am reminded of the importance of bringing order into my daily life. I am reminded that "not everything that cries the loudest is the most urgent" (unless, of course, we are referring to our 4 month old:).

MacDonald suggests "if my private world is in order, it is because I have begun to seal the "time leaks" and allocated my productive hours in light of my capabilities, my limits, and my priorities". He quotes C.S. Lewis' "Letters to an American Lady":

"Don't be too easily convinced that God really wants you to do all sorts of 

work you needn't do. Each must do his daily duty "in the state of life to 

which God has called him." Remember that a belief in the virtue of doing 

for doing's sake is characteristically feminine, characteristically American, 

and characteristically modern: so that three veils may divide you from 

the correct view! There can be impertinence in work just as in drink. 

What feels like zeal may be only fidgets or flattery of one's self-importance.

By doing what "one's station and its duties" does not demand, one 

can make oneself less fit for the duties it does demand and so commit 

some injustice. Just you give Mary a little chance as well as Martha."

I find it easy to be Martha, busying myself with all that needs to be done, but missing the point. Missing Who I am doing it all for. 

The next 8 months are quite possibly the most demanding our family has experienced yet. I am sure there will be many days when slowing down feels like a luxury I can't afford. And yet, I want to remember to keep perspective. To prioritize, and not allow the distractions of the world around me to pull me in all directions. I want to remember Who I am living for. 

The One who can ultimately make our plans succeed, in spite of us.