On my final of three airplanes home totaling 35 hours travel time from Port St. Johns to Detroit, Michigan, there was American television offered at our seats. I was flipping through channels to see what I would watch. I settled on Ellen. "So what's she saying these days?" I wondered. I put on my headphones and within seconds I turned off the TV and began to cry as I looked out my window. It wasn't anything Ellen said or did. I began to think, "I can't do this." What is my life?" "It's really over."
It's really over. And then I felt an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. I just had 10 months in China, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Japan, Albania, Serbia, Romania, Ukraine, Swaziland and even South Africa. Who does this? And who does this at 35? Hardly anyone. But, I just did.
I wiped the tears away and noticed the girl sitting next me. I asked her if she was from Michigan. She spoke with a heavy accent and said she was from Japan. And in fact, from Osaka, where were we were in January.
Is it really over? You may never travel the globe in your life. You may never ride elephant or speak with monks or learn you can draw or sleep in strange places or eat unusual food or see magnificent places, but it's not over.
I left America with a major purpose in mind and it was fulfilled not even before I landed back on Michigan soil. I desired deeply to be able to love people at home even better and to be able to connect with them more so I could introduce them to Jesus and it's already beginning. It's just starting!
Welcome home! Welcome to the beginning!
Me and Tomoko on the plane.
Tomoko at The Roasting Plant in Detroit, Michigan
The Spirit of Detroit
I'm home! Hart Plaza
Commerica Park: Tiger's stadium
Tomoko getting some pictures with graffiti:)
