“Okay, you’ve got Typhoid and Malaria preventatives, so all you have to do is check if you need a Rabies vaccination.” Thank you, Travel Doctor.
…This just got real!
The doctor gave me maps with shaded areas of the world containing pervasive and crippling diseases: polio, hepatitis, yellow fever… the list went on. I received vaccinations for most of these in my childhood. But as I gazed at the numerous darkly shaded zones of the world, I realized that I’m stepping in way over my head.
My team may encounter many things this next year that will challenge us beyond any notion of a “comfort zone.” Things that will grow us. Things that will give us more compassion. Things that may break our hearts.
– – – – – – –
Recently, I read about the great heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. It would seem that if anyone had cause to be afraid, it was these patriarchs who faced homelessness, loss, destitution and death. But it was these same people who recognized that this isn’t the way things were created to be. This world is not our home. With them, I hope forward:
…to doing hand-claps and playing games with small children who have huge smiles.
…to seeing sights, smelling scents, and hearing sounds I’ve never heard before.
…to learning songs in multiple languages, and trying new foods from multiple cultures.
…to serving and working alongside those who will become my brothers and sisters, though we may have grown up half a world apart.
…to praying with all my heart and drawing near to a God who is the same in every place and every age.
“They placed their hope in a better life…”
Hebrews 11:35
