Thoughts from the orchard

Our hearts are in Kyrgyzstan and a lot of our lives are in Kyrgyzstan , and we are not there.  In fact we have not been there as much as we have wanted for the last year.  Last spring we had to depart early for a family emergency, then I took sick during the summer and we could not get back until later in the fall for a much shorter trip, then this spring three days before we were to depart, everything shut down and the flights had to be cancelled.  
   Right from our first trip to Kyrgyzstan we knew that it was important that we come along side nationals that are on the front lines, and everything we did we came from a perspective of  "One day we may not be able to be here ."   And here we are , that "One day" has arrived.  As sad as we are we are truly amazed at how well the team is doing with out us there .. I know that it is a lot harder with out us and there is a lot more stress for them , but they have risen to the challenge.   I was reminded of that again when I got some photos of the apple orchard.  Last fall before we left we did some very heavy pruning, and trained the branches together , each tree holding the tree beside it in line .. this will increase both the yeild of the fruit and the size of the fruit.  So why does this make me think about not being there ?  A couple weeks ago I was chatting with a good friend about how sad we were to not be their right now, and she shared the analogy  of the apple trees.  It was her family who was with us to dig the holes and put these tiny little sticks in the ground.   It takes a lot of faith to take an 18 inch stick with no leaves and no roots, put it in the ground and envision an apple orchard, but they stood with us then and they continue to stand with us now.  

Here is what she shared with me ...... 

"It is truly amazing to watch. It really is the fruition of your years of labor... As an analogy those apple trees are a prime example.

 When you guys started there each of your workers were all just little twigs. You poured into each with resources from various sources (much like you would water and fertilize the trees) As time has gone on they have grown. Over time you have had to do some
hard pruning but you have managed to intertwine their branches so that the fruits of their labor are now multiplied. Where once their roots were shallow and the twigs needed a lot from you over the 10 plus years you have protected them and allowed them to flourish they are now ready to be fruit bearing on their own."

Don’t you have a saying, ‘Four more months and then it’s time for harvest’? Look, I tell you: open your eyes and notice that the fields are already ripe for the harvest.