First, I made it to Kenya early Friday morning (their time). The flights and connections were smooth. Praise God! My friend Kelly picked me up from the airport and assisted me to my home for the next few days.
Leading up to my first flight, wasn’t so smooth. About a week and half before my expected date of departure, my laptop was continuously crashing on me. I’ve had this problem before-one the race-and got my computer fixed upon returning home. It started happening again in Rwanda last year, so I brought it home and had it looked at again. We thought the issue was fixed (and it worked great for almost 2 months), until, you know, right before I was going to leave. I ended up purchasing a new laptop which arrived Saturday. I also had to purchase some new products to put on it. Let’s just say, procrastination got the best. The day of leaving, issues kept arising with the activation of products. I “hired” out my family to help me perform different tasks so I could finish my last-minute packing (yep, another mistake).
In the end, it all worked out. But man, I’m so thankful for my mom and brother in how they pulled through. However, my last day at home was not spent how I imagined—time with them and the dog was no existent. Convicted. Don’t put things off to the last minute. This could have easily ended badly.
Conviction number two was a totally different matter, but one of a more profound impact. On my second flight I had a seat partner. We made some small talk and then dinner arrived. After dinner (at like 10pm), I went straight to sleep (well, after he shared with me a scene from a movie he was watching on his phone). A little before arriving, lights came on and breakfast was served. My seat partner and I began talking about our jobs/lives, etc; this time getting a little deeper.
It was my turn to share and I did. He looked at me and was like, “Why do you seem so shy sharing about this? You are doing wonderful things!” And BAM. I felt like the rooster had crowed for the second time. “Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.’ And he broke down and wept.” Mark 14:72
Although I still shared that I was a missionary and spreading the gospel, he saw my timidity. I was lukewarm. Revelation 3:15-16 says, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” There are times where I can be very bold; then other times where the “fear of man” still holds me captive. But I’m thankful that God spoke to me in this way, on that plane ride, through a man who has a completely different belief.
So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:14
