So I'm baaack! You can make that sound like Arnold Swartzenegger, or Johnny Carlson, or anyone you like....but that begs the question of back from what? Back from Where? and also when I titled this getting back to.......it begs the same question? Back to what? So without having experienced ANY JET LAG in my three trips to the dark continent, let me try to blog with somewhat rational, meaningful thoughts that just might bless others, myself included.
So for starters getting back from what? From my 3rd Missions Trip to Africa where this one proved to be the most difficult, the most rewarding, the most life-changing of them all. Did I remember to state THE MOST DIFFICULT? How you ask? Ok of all the time we visited Malawi/Ntcheu/Katskatera if I wanted to be honest....the level of difficulty was somewhat pedestrian. Sure flying in a plane for 24 plus hrs is way more than pedestrian. But once on the ground we were in what was considered pasch living arrangements most of the time. Even if I thought about the hostel in Netcheu...while it was worst class roach motel here in the states, many people in that area would love the five star accommodations of plumbing, lighting, and prepared meals with at least a 4in thick mattress to lay your head down. But for us Americans that was roughing it....while we slept in our mosquito nets, juiced up on our doxycycline wondering if anything crawled on us.... For some you are thinking but the food Ray???? Honestly many trips we recorded having gained weight because we had meals served to us of our ordering. Chicken, chips (fries made with STUPID GOOD IRISH POTATOES), Chambo (the native fish that is just ridiculously tender and good), eggs, fresh juices, and even Fanta (passion fruit, pineapple, orange....specially noting that it was published they had the best in the WORLD two years ago). So did we eat in or with the villages....occasionally they would slaughter a goat/chicken to honor God and us, and it was not half bad either...but NO ONE STARVED ever, but yet we were around those that rarely got to eat as we did. This trip WAS DIFFICULT! Let me say that again.......THIS TRIP WAS DIFFICULT! Besides not having my best friend (and past globetrotter ) wife.....we LIVED in the VILLAGE of KATSKATERA and while our arrangements were considered rich....we still had no electricity, no plumbing, no running water source, not an evening without a critter crawling in our living quarters or on us while we slept. Our diet was the same as theirs outside of having occasional meat more than they (chicken 4x, goat 1x) rice, chips, stewed tomatoes and onions, or raw, with a collard like green vegetable daily. Not to add...I was personally challenged in many cultural faux paux such as getting in live bodies of water (rivers, streams, etc) , sleeping in a canvas tent in the African wild...and did I mention not really sleeping sound due to my own snoring and just being uncomfortable with my surroundings.
Getting back from where? Just in case you MISSED IT! From Africa.....a beautiful country filled with beautiful people (some of the, many of them) that aren't anything like us. It's not uncommon for men to hold hands walking and talking (UH THEY AREN'T HOMOSEXUAL....this is a term of heterosexual affection....maybe you've heard of it BROTHERLY LOVE (2Peter 2). They aren't tied to computers or facebook....they are tied to one another. While boarding a flight back one of our team members decided to use U.S. Dollars to make a purchase before boarding. They needed to run to get change...but he HAD TO BOARD, so he ended up paying $20 American dollars for some $2 African coffee, and wasn't happy about the situation. While getting on the bus to be driven on the tarmac to the plane.....the shop owner...LEFT HIS SHOP, stopped the bus to deliver our peeved team member his $18 in change. I said they aren't like us! And just in case you don't get it....it was a MISSION TRIP so it wasn't about being comfortable. It wasn't about living like Americans in Africa. It was about serving them, and God through living as Africans and learning how to BE more than do! I repeat LEARNING HOW TO BE (you know being....that's why we are called HUMAN BEINGS) rather than be driven by tasks, to tasks. We learned how to be still and KNOW that HE WAS GOD. We learned how to BE available for whatever the day required. We learned that BEING is far more important than doing at times. So please if one of our team members struggle to articulate all of the doings......it's probably because they finally broke free and learned the value in just being (such as Mary did at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10:38-42 btw the word BEING is used by Christ to describe Mary's choosing). WHERE you still ask....a place where most people had a 2-3 room house (that didn't include a bathroom or kitchen) and was roughly under 80sq ft of living space and a family of 4+ lived in that! THEY ARE DIFFERENT THAN US! Where women were seen carrying 5gal laundry baskets of water or goods on their head, while carrying a baby on their backs or one suckling from their breast for more than 2 kilometers SEVERAL TIMES A DAY! Please save your complaints from THIS DAY ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY
Which brings me to GETTING BACK TO???????? So as I sit in my leased home, that currently new carpet is being laid because " I SUFFERED from a FLOOD, that gutted my basement," and haven't had MY study space, or recreational area of retreat....or.....REALLY RAY SHUT UP!!!! SERIOUSLY!! I like many of my team members had these Americanized sugar plumed visions of dining in our OVER-PROCESSED, unhealthy, fast food the minute I touched down.....(which I have yet to indulged in) faced a reality upon coming back after experiencing Africa for the 3rd time (and boy was it a charm) where people got to see their FIRST MOVIE (courtesy of Brian Taylor, Art P) that later led to many people praying & accepting Jesus Christ into their lives. Where they reported the next day to hear the full gospel message, and ask questions that later led to them getting baptized! So as I realize I have probably hundreds of emails, facebook posts, responses and responsibility to this group of people I love called my family, my friends, my community, and my church what on Earth am I getting back to? Hmmmmmmmm......I need to really think about this. Because in light of the scripture I posted, that I'm sure by now you've all forgot about (so go back up to read it please....study it if you have to) that gave specific instructions regarding how one enters the temple they should exit it differently. Much like the wise men once they encountered the Christ child they returned home, but rather by a different route (Matt. 2:12). Now maybe in both instances it made since for the people in Eze. to go out through a different door for crowd control, or the wise men to exit differently to keep from running into Herod who would potentially kill them....but I'd like to offer another......one that could parallel my reasonings for this post. Is it possible that when we encounter Christ......we should go out, return to or from differently than when we approached or arrived? I believe so! I believe everytime you walk out of Sunday Morning, Saturday evening, heck worship service period....or small group time.....YOU SHOULD GO OUT DIFFERENTLY or run the risk of running into your old self. You know the one you are to DIE TO! See as I try to land this 787 (Dream liner....we rode on one on the way back) AIR BUS of a BLOG (cause it is quite long) enquiring minds may want to know......was it worth it? Was the money raised really worth it? Was the sacrifice of comfort...the surrendering of one's rights...worth $3500+ dollars? What's the benefit, the payoff....what's in it if for me (one may be asking)? Time will truly only tell...but I'll end with this.....I plan to love harder, forgive & sacrifice more all to His Glory! That's all I got for now.......LGLP
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