A 1st person narrative about my 2nd to last day in Africa. True of course, even to the seemingly silly details. I wanted to give a journey into my mind and perspective of that morning. No exaggerations or embellishments, Jesus doesn’t need help to make a story cool.
I’ve been walking for some time now. I’ve been praying and seeking the Lord, and it has turned into an awesome time of just intimacy with him. My heart feels refreshed and renewed and I feel peace despite my heart being hurt over a recent situation that has definitely been stressing me out. It’s one thing to spend time with the Lord. But man isn’t it always a sweet time with the Lord whenever there’s a little pain involved? For example, I need water and drink it abundantly throughout the day. But water tastes the best after/during a hard workout as opposed to while I’m sitting on the couch in (a/c). Thank you, Jesus, for giving me a little pain which makes the prayer time even sweeter.
I’m distracted again, dang, let me refocus, I’ve even ventured off farther down the path now. I have to be at a meeting in 45 minutes I need to hurry back, I’m probably close to 2 miles out. However all these dirt paths look the exact same, and the farmland and flat fields surrounding everything have not provided much help on my mental GPS either. I’m kind of a city boy at heart anyway, so it doesn’t take much for me to get lost out in nature somewhere. But I digress, let me focus on these trails. It seems that every 50-100 meters there is a fork in the road, 3-way, or even 4-way connecting trails. Uh oh, this is not good. The sun is coming up in full force now with my instinct puddles of sweat that ensue, so much for these clean clothes, I put on a couple of hours ago. I laugh as I smile and reflect on how following the Lord is so uncomfortable sometimes. Whether it’s public speaking, having a hard conversation with a friend, standing up in your friend group for what’s right, or just simply sweating constantly in Africa. ‘Welp’, Jesus I guess if following you was easy then we wouldn’t really have to trust you and lean on your strength and not ours. So spiritually speaking, it definitely makes sense that it’s usually uncomfortable, a ‘necessary’ righteousness if you will, but not a ‘preferred’ righteousness ha.
Crap, back to the trail I’ve definitely missed some important turns now. Focus Ethan Focus! At first, I merely suspected I was lost, now I am confident I am lost. The landscape in this area even looks different, yep I’m lost. Ok time to stop, I need to ask Jesus for help or else it will take me hours to find my way back with all these trails. “Jesus please help me and show me the way home.” I wish a light appeared in the shape of an arrow that pointed in the right direction but there it hasn’t. I guess I’ll just keep walking in the direction I think I came from and see what happens. Wait, there’s this man coming down the opposite path. The same man wearing a blue shirt that I saw when I first began to walk over an hour ago. He saw me leave the exit of the hostile so surely he will know where it is right? Oh gosh, I hope he speaks English.
I’m now currently walking beside a man named Joshua who happily agreed to walk me back to the hostile compound from which I came. This is clutch! He is from a town a couple of hours away and is just passing through. “Why are you passing through here,” I ask, “are you visiting family or looking for work or something.” To which he replied, “no family here and yes I am looking for work but I know there is not much work to be offered here, I’m just passing through.” Why would this guy be passing through this random rural area on these trails back behind pastures? This sounds really dumb or just sketchy I cannot decide yet. Wait a minute what if this is a divine appointment and he needs to know about Jesus, and God planned this all along for me to meet him.
(mental argument/dialogue with myself) But Jesus it’s hot, I’m running late and I just want to get back to the compound and be on my way. What if I evangelize to him and the conversation takes a sour turn and then it’s a super awkward walk the rest of the way back to the hostile? Ahhh shut up Ethan; Jesus stepped out of glory and came down to eventually die on a cross for his love for us, and I’m complaining that it’s hot and I might be tired? I’m never going to see this guy again, what if this was completely guided by the hand of the Lord and I’m being disobedient if I don’t speak to him? Well if God is guiding him that strongly then I’m sure he will find the Lord regardless right? Ugh shut up again Ethan, don’t over-spiritualize it, just man up and be bold. Whether he receives Jesus, just listens, or rejects it completely, a good seed of some sort will be planted regardless. Aahsdkfjalkdjflakjdflkajfj OK OK JUST SHUT UP I’LL DO IT. “So Joshua, have you heard of a man named Jesus Christ…
As we go into a discussion I began to get excited, almost giddy even. Joshua not only has heard about Jesus but has been seeking a way to learn more about him. I began to share the gospel with him in full form and how Jesus wants a relationship with him and how Jesus wants Joshua to know him intimately. Joshua is continuing to ask questions and genuinely trying to understand what this Jesus thing is all about.
At this point, we have now arrived at the gate of the compound, but I don’t care about being late anymore this is definitely of the Lord. Standing outside of the compound it’s time to stop talking about the ideology of Jesus and confront him with it personally.
“Joshua, are you ready to receive Jesus as the Lord of your life, your savior, and the long lost friend you have been looking for?” Joshua replied almost interruptingly, “YES, I would very much like to have and know this Jesus that we have been talking about!”
Joshua received Jesus today, and we continued to talk about the next steps after receiving Jesus on how to grow that relationship. However, I will save you the tedious details and constant back and forth of the dialogue.
Jesus thank you that I got lost today. Thank you that you always show up and provide for me. Thank you that you use me even when I complain and definitely try to take the selfish convenient route. Most of all, Jesus thank you that my new brother Joshua just passed from death to life!
