People sometimes wonder what the hardest part of being in a mission is...the electricity, pollution, food, accommodation? I'd have to say the hardest part of the mission doesn't have anything to do with living in Kosovo but rather the fact that you are hundreds or thousands of miles away from your family and friends. For people with children, it is difficult if your child gets sick...even if it is just the flu...because normally you would be there to comfort them but now you have to do it over the phone (or maybe you won't even know about it until its over). Or maybe you will miss important things like a baby's first step/word.
My grandmother passed away Friday evening in the US. It was difficult to make the decision not to go home for the funeral services but due to the travel time, I would not have made it home in time for the services after getting emergency leave approved. Instead, I will wait until a planned trip this summer to pay my respects. But it is difficult to mourn a loved one from so far away and I'm not there to receive one of the many comforting hugs that my family are giving to each other. I've been having trouble sleeping, too many thoughts on my mind about the woman who was so kind and loving toward me and reminiscing of all the fond memories I have of spending time with my grandma. It is rather fitting that it was Memorial Day weekend, a time to remember our loved ones that have passed on before us.
