Perhaps it started when DH, in March of 2006 asked “why couldn’t you get a job in Hawaii?” Well, no reason why not, I supposed. And so, the journey to Hawaii began. Trippler hospital on Oahu had an opening “with my name on it..”….but they never called in reponse to my application.
God knew better. Traffic, congested neighborhoods and long commutes were really not my cup-o-tea……
….but there was a job on Big Island. Rural, small town living, no traffic and affordable living. And
by October of 2007, having interviewed, accepted a contract, and having acquired a new Hawaii medical license, we were planning our move.
We listed for sale our home in Nevada in September of 2007. There was no interest….
We traveled to BI in 1/08, and contracted to lease-buy a home: contingent on our home in Nevada selling. It didn’t.
We moved in 3/08, finding ourselves in a “foreign land.” White people in a brown environment…..we still have been welcomed, assimilated and drawn in to our new home.
We have been welcomed not only with open arms, but with open hearts, into a new church community (into a synod which we formally feared…..) as well as to a new neighborhood, where potluck is a monthly experience….and for me to a new work environment, where I am the minority, no longer a member of the dominant ethnic class……
Our children have moved here, and so we have family with which to share new experiences, beaches and lifestyles (even if they DO choose to go to Maui for Thanksgiving…..). Funny thing, our seatainer sat unused in Nevada for 6 months, then, when they decided to move here, all of a sudden, the means to move it here (with their stuff added to our stuff…..) became available.
In August of 2008, our landlady informed us that….”by the way, I will lose the house in 12/08, because there is a balloon payment due….so, if you REALLY want this place……” and her bank was more than happy to let us take on a completely new mortgage……and at LITERALLY the last minute, lease-buyers were found for our home in Nevada.
Last night, we attended (and sang at) the interfaith Thanksgiving service. Now, having attended “interfaith” services in the past, and finding them to be primarily different denominations of Christians….we found ourselves in Hilo United Protestant Church, surrounded by Tongans, Muslims, Jews, Methodists, Catholics, Pagans, Unitarians, and Lutherans. Brown, Yellow, Black, White and “Hapa” (mixtures) joined in a truly ecumenical service of Thanksgiving. A Buddhist woman sat next to me. A Tongan Christian in front of me. The Catholics to the Right, the Methodists to the left….
The Muslim read a prayer in Arabic, then translated it. As I listened, I closed my eyes, and the image of the large wooden cross at the altar was imprinted on my retinae as I listened to this Muslim pray. I was again reminded that God is God of all…by whatever name we call him (or her, as the Unitarian ministress would have pointed out…..)
Um….the bottom line is, Happy Thanksgiving. It truly is for us.
And….I won’t mention that it’s 80 degrees….THANKS! be to God!
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