Usually, when our family thinks "HOME", we think of Africa - the old mission house in Santidougou being the first, the various other houses we lived in, in Burkina.....these to us are home. But we also had places which we made "home" in the United States during our furlough years - or "home assignment" times as they are called now!
The majority of our houses we lived in were in Nyack. Dad and I had both attended Nyack College and so we were familiar with the area. It was also in the district where Dad's home church was located. (Long Hill Chapel in Chatham, NJ.) We liked being near New York City, not too far from Dad's family in Connecticut. We enjoyed the college atmosphere, and at that time we were also in the same town as the C&MA Alliance headquarteers. One big reason, however, was that the Alliance maintained a group of homes, all furnished, for the use of missionaries. They had a fulltime maintenance man who would take care of any problem in the house - very handy for me when Dad was gone on those long tours. Thirteen weeks one time!! And thus we chose to live at least five furloughs in Nyack, New York.
We lived in Upper Merrill, Fern Avenue - MIR house, Groff Cottage, Merrill Cottage, and Wheeler. Mrs. Bernard King was in charge of these homes and made sure the places were clean, the frig turned on, enough food in the house for at least the first breakfast, and a list of do's and don't's for those of us occupying the house. We always had our own bits and pieces which we added to the house to make it "ours". We kept a barrel of china, tablecloths and other household items in storage at Nyack, and using these personal things made our new house seem more like home to us.
We had other missionaries for neighbors and got to know lots of people from other areas of the world who also furloughed there at Nyack with us. You kids always had friends to play with and run around with. The school system was a good one and each furlough you kept coming back to the same schools, which made it easier for you.
Being near the college meant that we had occasional ministry there. National office was in Nyack at that time, which was handy for Dad and me. Simpson Church at that time was in its heyday and so we had a good church to attend. You kids had good youth groups. No doubt you older girls remember some of your youth pastors and the Simpson youth choir with whom you travelled. It was a good situation for us during several furloughs.
When you were young, Mark, you were a very gentle child (look at you now!!) and we sent you to third grade at the Valley College elementary school. You went on the bus, a bit of a trauma for you at first. Your teacher that year was a very mouthy Jewish lady, probably a good teacher, but tended to YELL! We had not known how bad it was, although you had told us how she hollered in class, until one day we found you hiding out in the yard long after the school bus had departed! You just could not face that teacher for one more day!!
So Dad and I promised you that you would not have to go back to her class, we would take care of it. There was another third grade class, and that was taught by Mrs. Elsie Barney, a good friend of ours, whose husband taught at the Alliance Seminary. So Dad and I visited the principal that day, taking you with us. She was very understanding, and moved you to Mrs. Barney's class and there you got along just fine. As far as I know, Elsie Barney is an old lady now living at Shell Point! And you grew out of your timidity, as evidenced by your work and wonderful family.
One year we decided to live in Shell Point. They had invited us to be missionary in residence at Shell Point, which meant Dad still went on tour, and every Sunday morning we had a four minute slot (no more and no less!) in the morning service at the church. I took care of the speaking when Dad was gone. They provided a lovely home for us - the nicest furlough home we ever had - and paid the electric bills, etc. Grandma Pierce was so delighted and proud of her children being there where she had lived so long. We had no car - so we used hers. It was a good furlough in that John and Jennie, newly married, got a job there and lived in Ft. Myers. Mark, you also worked at Shell Point and lived with us while you went to College in town. So we had some good family times.
That is when I got to know Jennie. She did not have a job, and so John would drop her off at our house on his way to work, and she would just stay with me during the day. She loved watching TV and we often talked and I got to know her then. Later, of course, we got to know her much better - in Puerto Rico and in Atlanta and at Buford and she was a much loved member of our family. We still grieve her death, but also like to think of her in Heaven, without pain.
We never had such a "poor" furlough as we had in Shell Point. We owned no car, we got no love offerings. I spoke seldom as Shell Point frowned on their MIR taking meetings elsewhere. The SP Sunday School took on the project of our computer we needed for translation (which came to eight thousand dollars) and they raised that and ordered us the computer - which at that time came in a huge box. I was even afraid to open the box - Dad was on tour! So they were generous to us. I also enjoyed visiting some of the elderly, cheering them up. We did have a fun reunion (with all of you there for that) and we entertained often. The residents loved that and it gave me something to do. I visited them often in their apartments when Dad was away on tour.
One furlough we spent in Waynesboro, as Phenicies were also living there that furlough year. Grandma and Grandpa were in Carlisle so not far away and we could visit them. You boys came to visit us there, and Cheryl and Darrell and family lived within walking distance - all of which was very nice. It was a small apartment, but the saving grace was that we had access to an indoor pool, which Dad especially enjoyed. We had a hard time finding a church where we could worship, but of course we were gone on tours a good part of the year, so it did not matter so much. I guess that was our first empty nest furlough!
Our last (partial) furlough in Nyack was after we had retired from the field. We had a small apartment in the ATS apartmnet building. We always kept our apartment door closed, as our neighbors were all Korean students and the aroma of their particular brand of cabbage cooking permeated the halls of the building! We stayed in that apartment through the fall and went on our regular tours, then looked for a house here in Toccoa, and found our home here. We went back north and packed up everything to move.
We had to drive two cars in order to take all of our baggage, so we rented a car and had our own vehicle, Dad and I each driving. The first day we were going as far as Waynesboro and Phenicies' place for overnight. My car was the district car - a very nice one - and I was driving along at a good speed, when I dozed off! The first time that had ever happened to me! I just missed a big cement embankment, spun around in the grassy spot - and woke up in a hurry. I can remember seeing a truck on the slope above me, and the look of horror on the face of the truck driver. He quickly pulled over and ran back to me just as I was getting out of my vehicle! I was shaking - and poor dad was ahead of me and watched this all happening and had to get back to me. I was fine - not even a scratch - but had a pounding heart, and was praising the Lord that I had not been killed and wrecked the car! Someone came along and helped us and we went merrily on our way again, at a slower pace, and with Dad watching me constantly in his rear view mirror! What a close call that was!
We did go back to the field a couple more times for a year each time, but we never lived in a furlough home again, as at the end of that trip to Georgia, we bought our own home where we still live. Why Georgia? You boys and your families were both here and the girls were all overseas! So it was a no brainer! And now twelve years later we are the only ones left in the south. But we are still glad we made this choice.
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