Comforts of Home

Things didn't go quite as planned yesterday. The doctor brought in was not Jewish and did not speak English. Ross said he looked more like a Turkish mad scientist than a doctor....loud gruff voice, wild hair, fast jerky movements. We had been told he would use the latest technology to perform Benaiah's circumcision (and I promise this will be the last post on circumcisions, as I am sure Benaiah will be reading fairly soon and won't appreciate this discussion). When he arrived, he said his latest shipment of rings (what is used for this) weren't to his specifications, so he would be performing it 'the old way'. I stayed in the car, realizing that I could not possibly hear the wailing without my heart breaking in two. Ross agreed to take him and said it would be a good 'bonding' experience for them. Well, as many of you know, Ross has a hard time even pulling a tooth. When he saw the amount of blood, and saw the doctor begin to stitch the baby, Ross started to pass out. The doctor had Ross go lie down and finished the procedure. I had been waiting in the car for 45 minutes and began to get worried, so I came in the clinic and asked the receptionist if it was done yet. She said, "Yes, and he didn't cry much." so I sat down to wait. Then I heard the most horrible wail and knew it was my son. Evidently, they weren't done yet. I cried and bolted for the door. Ross momentarily heard me in the waiting area and thought if he could just make it 3 more steps without passing out, he would tag team with me. By the time he got there, I was gone.

It was just one of those days when it is hard to be in a foreign land. There are not many days like this for me anymore, but today was one. I don't know the language well enough to understand what is going on and I must submit to doing things 'their way' rather than the way that is familiar to me (I had been told by many in the US this would all be no big deal as it is done almost routinely at birth). It was just different here.

On our way home, we stopped at a friend's house to pick up the dinner she graciously made for us. Now I have had some amazing dinners made for us these past 10 days...meatloaf, lasagna, enchiladas, hearty delicious soups. But on this night, the friend cooking for us happens to have US base access. Out to our car came an enormous ham, stuffing, American green beans, jellied cranberry sauce, pecan pie, and mint chocolate chip ice cream (every one of the previous items are unavailable in Turkey and I am certain I haven't had pecan pie in 15 years). As we sat down to our Thanksgiving meal in October, it occurred to me that God may be telling me, by sending me a meal from home like this, "I know you are here, in a foreign place and that can be confusing, but I am here." I took great comfort in that thought.

The night progressed and Benaiah was bleeding and seeping, so we called the English-speaking doctor as we were told to do if that happened. He coached us through what to do and Benaiah is ok. The procedure was done well and he is going to be fine. It just wasn't what we expected.