From a day in Zambia. . .
I spent the day working in town for logistics, away from my team. When they got home that evening, I realized that when you spend 24/7 with people, 9 hours apart is enough to make you miss them. I ran out to the car to meet them, and we carried in supplies. The power was out and it’s always hot, so outside is preferable to inside. There’s some great music coming from within the car, so we turn it up a little. It starts small—a head bob, a shoulder slide, and hip sway. Within minutes, we reach full-blown dance party. Music is jamming, fully turned up now. The headlamps are flashing, the sand is getting all over and in our feet, we’re sweating, and we’re loving it! The best lyrics, proclaimed in a strong, bass voice are “let’s have church!” Shortly after, the beat drops and we sing about the Spirit of the Lord coming upon us.
After a few minutes, the neighbors start to peer over the fence. They start to dance along from afar. We quickly invite them into our sandy yard. Soft, red sand that makes you think you’re on a beach. We have neighbor babies, a nsima spoon and each other to dance with. And we just dance on.
It was one of those moments that takes you outside of time and makes you feel like your life might be a movie. I think we may have played that same song three times. Eventually, we went inside, bucket-bathed, and sweated ourselves to sleep.
It wasn’t crazy, but it was something great—when worship and the true Goodness of your circumstance takes you outside of time. I think the more you commune with a God who is outside of time, the more glimpses of that timeless freedom zone you find. This was a great one. Plus I just love dancing.
Not every day on the race is a spiritual high, despite what you may presume or read. For that reason, I remember these snapshots of beautiful community—both with the Creator and among the created—for the days when all I manage to see is inconvenience and language barriers.
Here’s to the Cambodian snapshots to come!
