Normal life is…
Getting baby wipes out of my backpack and
laughing at the fact the label is in Thai and the baby on the package is Asian.
Pulling on a friends’ jacket and finding a 50
cent euro piece in the pocket.
Asking someone where they got their earrings
or shirt and waiting as they deliberate “Asia. No, Africa. Tanzania? No,
Kenya.�
Washing dishes without running water or
washing clothes by hand.
Arriving at a church or crusade and laughing
at the look on a team leaders face, because it’s obviously the look of “Ok,
who’s going to preach the sermon? Or give the testimony? Or explain the drama
in the next 60 seconds?�
Falling completely in love with nine girls
living at “Mi Casa� orphanage in three days and tearing up when we have to
leave.
Frequently laughing at how little time we’ve
known each other since this Race started, and how hard it now is to imagine
life without each other.
Praying for each other with greater passion
that I remember having in prayer in years.
Transitioning May 12th.
Not so “normal� right now.
A lot of my thoughts these
last few weeks have been about
“re-entry�
or the transition back home
or reverse culture shock
or whatever you want to call it.
Thoughts have definitely also been
full of lots of questions. Good questions. A lot of questions I don’t have the
answer for right now, but I’m ok with that.
Some of them are simple.
When will I get to see everyone
I’ve been missing?
What is my reaction going to be when I get to the airport in
Montgomery?
What’s the first thing I want to eat when I get back home?
What will
it be like to drive my car? How soon will I go for a swim at the Nat?
What’s it
going to be like to sleep in a bed or room by myself?
When will I get to hear
everyone’s stories about their life over the last year?
Some of them are not so simple.
How do I share everything
that I’ve experienced this year?
How do I remember the names of everyone I’ve
met?
How do I share everything that the Lord has taught me this year?
How can I
possibly convey the truth I’ve found in my faith this year?
How do I remember
the moments of clarity and passion?
How do I keep the joy I’ve found in the
fight, in the suffering?
How do I share the love I’ve felt for a Ukrainian
orphan without being able to understand a word of what she ever said?
How do I
talk about the effects of a fire in the middle of Southlands slum in Nairobi?
How do I share the day-to-day moments of life in a team?
How do I fully share
what the Lord has taught me and allowed me to experience?
Here’s what I know.
I know the Lord gave me the gift of
living life with O squad for 11 months.
I know that I will continue to learn
lessons from this year long after I get home.
I know that it’s been a privilege
to just be with all the people we’ve met this year.
I know I’ve found more hope
this year.
I know freedom has been a huge theme of this year.
I know there’s my
faith is more a reality now than it has been in the past.
I know I’ve made
friends who will be around for a lifetime.
I know I’ve experienced some of the
hardest things of my life this year.
I know I’ve celebrated and laughed.
I know
I’m grateful for this Race with these people.
