Dispatch from South Bend: Thursday, June 8

We’re back home after a long journey in distance and emotion. Thursday morning, June 1, I checked our email at a little hotel that has the only working public computer on the island of Iona, and there were emails from both Jeanne’s mother’s (Virginia Logan) social worker and her Episcopal priest that she had taken a turn for the worse, and that if we wanted to see alive ands talk to her, we needed to return immediately. We knew what we had to do. Within two hours we were on the last ferry off the island to catch the last bus across Mull (the next island0 to catch the last ferry to the Scottish mainland, to catch the last train to Glasgow.
We arrived in Glasgow at 10 p.m. Thursday and crashed at (of all places) the Holiday Inn). The next day we were faced with getting a ticket for our return home (our one way ticket for June 24 could not be exchanged or refunded). A trip to the travel agent convinced us that they are dinosaurs in the age of computers, getting us a $2500 one way ticket each and charging $120 a person to do it. I guess the travel agent business is tough these days.
So we found an Internet café and went to work ourselves on the net, looking up some UK based online travel sites. Our work paid off because we found reasonably priced tickets for returning home Sunday morning, June 4. We already had tickets to London on Saturday to connect for Spain, our next destination, so we got to London Saturday, and had one last hurrah by seeing “The Producers” at London’s west end.
Our flight home Sunday and connection to Grand Rapids (where we had left our car) went very smooth. It was great to see the kids and grandkids again. Monday morning we headed for South Bend with understandably mixed feelings about seeing Jeanne’s parents. Jeanne’s mother has deteriorated quite a bit, having lost lots of weight, experienceing some pain, and being on oxygen. Her dad (Richard Logan) is wheelchair bound after some mini-strokes, and cries a lot, understandably. Thankfully, they are in almost adjoining rooms at Healthwin where they’ve both been since their release from the hospital in late April.
More of that later. On Saturday we had spoken by phone to Andy and Mae about our emergency return home, and said we had a place to stay while they made preparations to leave. At the time it seemed my return to work was the only alternative since Andy and Mae were staying at our house and we couldn’t see how they could continue their interim work without housing. They very graciously emailed that they would be out of the house Sunday night making it available for us (and we know this too a lot of work at short notice). I intended to jump back into work. Monday, however, I met with some of the elders and Paula, and it turned out in God’s grace that there was another alternative with housing provided by the Teeters. We talking it over and decided that it was in the best interests of everyone involved that the Rienstras continue their interim ministry as planned, and which they wanted to do, while I had the time to support Jeanne and do some planning for sermons and worship on my return to work July 5. We see God’s care in all this, and are very grateful for discerning minds and hearts that helped us recognize it.
We hope to keep our plan for the last week of the Sabbatical, which was a week at a cottage up north )June 28- July 3) with all the kids and grandkids. (That’s, of course, dependant on circumstances with Jeanne’s mother at the time.) We also hope to be able to continue the unused three weeks of the sabbatical sometime next year.
Jeanne’s parents were so relieved to have her home, though they would have never asked for it themselves, and felt badly that we had to break off our trip. I should mention that Jeanne’s mother knew she had cancer (though not how serious it was) before we left, but chose not to tell us, not wanting to disrupt what she called our “trip of a lifetime.” This was a wonderful and gracious gift on her part.
Coming home was difficult, but also very good. There has been time for honest conversation and necessary grief. So we feel we’re in God’s care, and he has provided and will provide all that is needed. Virginia is now under hospice care at Healthwin as of yesterday. At first we were told they would have to move from their lovely rooms overlooking the garden, but just yesterday the social worker said they could stay where they are to the end, which was a great relief for all. Jeanne is busy arranging the support her mother needs, working with hospice, planning for her father’s future needs (he will not be physically able to return home alone), and pulling together their financial affairs.
I’m taking the time to help Jeanne is whatever way I can, from keeping house to making necessary phone calls. I am also doing some planning for the next months of preaching and worship. I also plan to continue the “monastery thing” by spending a few days at St Gregory’s Abbey near Three Rivers next week.
We will not be back in church till I return for work on July 5 (that’s best when an interim is present), but be assured we have lots of support both spiritually and emotionally.
When circumstances like this arise Jeanne always tells me, pacing the room, “Well, we just have to dump it in God’s lap and say ‘You take care of it, I can’t.’” And we do. It’s not always easy to surrender like that, but over and over we’ve seen God take our problems into his almighty and merciful hands and make good come out of it. This is another one of those occasions when our faith has been strengthened by God providential care. On the plane home we had Morning Prayer from our prayer book, huddled together in our seats. The reading for the day was that wonderful verse from Proverbs 3: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” We knew we were on the right path.
See you all in early July. Despite the interruption, the sabbatical has been more than we could ever expect, and we’re eager to share it with you.