Throughout this year I have created something I didn’t think I would. What I created is exactly what I thought would be making me sick being on the road constantly. I created a Home. This home doesn’t have four walls, a roof, or my biological family inside of it. This home isn’t where I was raised. This home isn’t in a town, a state, or even one country. This home is where I feel I truly belong though. This home is like the old saying “where my heart is”. Many people in this journey ask me if I miss home. It’s kind of a funny thought to me. Don’t get me wrong (especially my mom), of course I miss my family, the house I spent almost my whole life, my friends, my dog, the people in my community I’ve known my whole life who are big roles in my story. But traveling around to all these countries, making deep relationships with these people, my heart begins to break leaving them. I know I signed up for this, but when I think of being homesick, Maine is not the only place on that list. It’s now currently surrounded by 8 more places and counting. As I get on the next bus or airplane after saying my goodbyes I begin to feel that same gut wrenching feeling I felt in January as I hugged my Mom goodbye. Yet there’s something different. There’s this sense of uncertainty. Will I ever get to see you again? Will this be the last words we ever speak to each other? Those are thoughts that never even crossed my mind saying Goodbye to my family, my friends, yet now they flood my mind like a rushing tide as it comes in. And although its sad, I can’t help but smile when I think about my home. When I was in India I saw a sign on the door of a orphanage that read this.
When You
Enter This
Loving Home
Consider Yourself
One of the Special
Members of an
Extraordinary Family
I can honestly say I feel like I am just one member of a beautifully strung together, God made, extraordinary family. Now there is no address to this vastly spread home. You won’t drive down a road and say “Hey look there’s Jons home”. It has no picket fence surrounding the yard, no front door, no living room. Let me share with you what my home looks like.
My Driveway– (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire) Is a truck stop in a West African called Côte d’Ivoire. My driveway is crowded with young men who will invite you to hangout under their trucks, sharing with me their tea which was poured out of old kerosine cans. You will spend hours speaking about life, faith, love, reality, and God. Laughs were shared under those trucks, don’t mind the smell though because even though it’s extremely aggressive it won’t leave as much of an impact as the men will. They will gladly find an oil can or an old rug for you to sit on, because even though they have very little when you show up they treat you like family.
My Neighbors– (Sunyani, Ghana) On your way in don’t forget to give the neighbors a wave, a smile and a quick convo. My neighbors are in Ghana where we would roam around the neighborhoods making unforgettable relationships with the local shop owners. Ask Steven how his college classes are going and don’t forget to buy a “fan ice” from his sister Anna. They may tease each other but their bond is stronger than super glue and they never let you walk away without a smile on. If their mother is around you won’t walk away without a bag of bananas or oranges that she picked that morning.
My Dinner Table– (Battambang, Cambodia) As you enter my home, please stay for dinner. Sunshine (her nickname) is cooking up some delicious Khmer (Cambodian) food and trust me she makes it with love. Pick your random number from the hat and find your seat at our table. This table is filled with the students from Lighthouse boarding school in Cambodia. Every dinner starts with prayer, is filled with laughs, jokes, maybe a few arm punches(out of love I promise), learning a new life story or fun fact about a student and ends with announcements. These kids may still be students but they are well educated on how to Love.
My Hobby Farm– (Chiang Mai, Thailand) Did you know my house has a farm? This farm is your typically not so typical Thai farm. Yes we have water buffalo, pigs, fighting chickens, plenty of peppers for dinner, and even catfish ponds. But we have something else that brings the true life to this farm. A handful of young men who got sick of their old ways of crime and violence and decided they wanted purpose, love, and God in their lives. These young men come here to be free, be safe, be loved, poured into, encouraged, to be given a second chance and be allowed to be the young men God intended, no matter what mistakes they once made. Their stories will make your jaw drop and eyes water, but the way they now live will give you faith that God does truly redeem the broken hearted.
My Living Room– (Hellagu, Myanmar) Don’t mind the living room, it’s not your typical living room with a couch, tv, recliner, computer and you certainly won’t find a PS4 here. This living room has been renovated as a makeshift classroom. Each day the children of “Compassion In Action” orphanage hold their English class here. Feel free to stop by and teach a few words or numbers. Don’t be surprised if NawNaw brings you a mango to show his appreciation, or if Thomas says to you “Today in soccer I am Victory and you are Defeat”. Ask Faith any question and she will give you the right answer, she always does. If its recess time go lizard hunting or mango picking, trust me the kids will show you everything you need to know. These kids will teach you more in one day then any of us could teach them in a year.
My Backyard– (Nepal) Don’t just enjoy the views of the mountain villages of Nepal from the window. Trust me you will have a much more filling experience walking around them and meeting the locals. You want to know what true faith is? Trust me you will find it in their huts as they share tea and stories with you. Don’t forget to stop and meet the ole Witch doctor who gave his life to Christ, he will show you what it means to be bold. If your lucky, the kids will gather around for a Bible skit, a few songs, and some games as they get out of school. Bring extra water though because my yard is 120 degrees. But That won’t stop anyone from walking miles to sit down in a building no bigger than a shed to hear a sermon on Sunday. Don’t be shy to bow and say “namaste” to each person you pass, whether they are walking the buffalo or working the rice patties you will receive and smile and one back without a doubt.
My Upstairs– (Bengaluru, India) Come upstairs I have something I want to show you. Up here we have created something truly special. It’s a school for those society doesn’t want in public schools of India. Each child has a special story and a special way God shows what love is through them. This school is run by a family who has a truly big heart for children and making sure they not only have education and a solid base but also know they are loved, cared for, seen, and heard through their difficult or troubling times. It doesn’t end when they graduate it’s really just the beginning. Give Jerosh a big tickle and he will show you the best laugh you’ve ever heard. Abishek May give you trouble in class but that boy has the biggest heart. If he likes you he will be back at school 10 minutes after to share the gum with you he just bought at the store.
My Shed– (Belmopan, Belize) My shed is filled with projects not for me, but the community. In the corner is the basketball hoop we are fixing for the local elementary school. It’s next to all the paint that needs to go in the classrooms and Windows and doors for the new building which 6 grade gets to call their class this year. Need a new project? Just ask Mrs. Sanchez or Mr. Peck, they will put you to work because their hearts and minds are constantly focused on what else can we do for the children. Or you can grab a ladder and some purple paint and head to the building Hedges across town where the church is building a rehabilitation center for those struggling in the community. What you will find in this shed is 100+ projects thats are to bless someone else.
I hope you enjoyed a small tour of what I call “Home”. But there’s something else you should know about this home. It’s constantly growing. Next time you return there will be more places to visit, more people to meet, and more stories to tell. This home has no point when someone will wipe their hands and say “its finally finished, no more additions”. So come in, make yourself at home because there’s no qualifications or judgment in this home. This home is where my heart is. This home is what I miss. And as I sit back and think about my home, I just hope that even though ill never see it in a structure, I can always see it in my heart and memories. This home cannot be washed away by a Tsunami, or blown apart by a tornado. It’s foundation is strong and made with love, not cement. I start to see what Jesus meant as he spoke in Matthew 7 about the wise man building his house on the rock. This place I call home was built purely on the love and grace of God. Therefore no matter how many countries it spands, cultures it houses, or faces it feeds this house on the rock will stand strong.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the stream rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25
