First? If you get the reference; then good for you. Props to you my fellow 90’s-early 2000’s tv fans. Like me you have spent far too much time watching David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston.
Well here we are! One final blog for the entirety of the World Race. I’ll be honest, I spent weeks trying to decide what I was going to write. Is it going to be serious? Do I want to impart a teaching? Do I want to tell a knock knock joke? Am I currently hiding behind my humor because I’m actually very emotional writing this? WHY YES I AM
And you know what? I’m not going to talk about the end of the Race. Not right now, Right now I want to tell you about the day I met Jose.
I got into the San Francisco from Hong King around 10:45 in the morning. I was picked up by some of my best friends and was quickly spirited away by some of my best friends to In n Out. The goodbyes at the airport were dreadful. I don’t remember crying THAT much as a kid so it took me by surprise. So I went home! After the waterworks dried up and the American culture shock began to hit, I resigned myself to a nap(greatest two hours of my life). I woke up and went to a movie with two of my very best friends. It was an amazing day; you see, I had been reunited with my family, had to say see ya later to people that I love, had In n Out AND used an ATM without foreign transaction fees. Wow. Bliss.
I turned 21 on the Race, so naturally I celebrated my legal drinking age that December with a Redbull. Now it was time to properly christen the age to drink! Rejoice!
So off to Ollies Pub we went. Hunter and I sat down and talked about life, the good times, awful and amazing relationship decisions, questionable adventures, and just the ins and outs of life in general. And there he sat. Jose. Maybe mid 30’s? Marine Mechanic who had moved from Long Beach to Lodi to start over and work a better job. I have a few tattoos myself; but Jose? Jose had tattoos in places I couldn’t fathom getting tattoos. The one over his left eye said “I’m still here”, the one on the side of his head? That one was the Oakland Raiders symbol. The Spider on his cheek or the tear drops under his eye would indicate that maybe Jose was not the social butterfly. And want to know something? Of all my travels? The place I enjoyed the most was Ollies Pub in Lodi with Jose. One of the sweetest human’s I’ve ever had the privilege to meet. He got off the phone with his friend, looked at Hunter and I and said, “Hey my friend just told me to buy the next two rounds for you”. And so he did. We began talking about life, our mistakes and our successes. We talked about race and politics and police and religion. All the easy topics. It turns out Jose had been in South Africa 3 months before I was, in the same city, almost in the same Block. And right then and there in Ollies Pub, 21 years of my life that Jesus had been weaving together came out. I looked into Jose’s eyes and I saw something there. And then I heard my Dad in my head. This is my son, I’m proud of him, I claim him, THIS ONE IS MINE and I ADORE HIM.
So I just relayed the message. And a very inebriated Jose wrapped his arms around me and shook my hand around 30 times. Hunter and I closed out our tab and walked him home. Just down the street. We talked to him a bit more, laughed and heard him out. He was very open to us and welcoming. He was genuinely looking for a friend. And of all the places I’ve prayed for people, from the dirt villages of Haiti, to the streets of Soshanguve, to the mountains of the Philippines, right there in sleepy little Lodi, was my favorite encounter with the Lord. 48 Hours prior I was in Asia, and right there in Lodi, the Father reminded me of his goodness and my purpose in life. To take this freedom that I have and share it with everyone and anyone that I can. I have one desire. To live in the freedom and joy that I’ve been given. To tell people just how loved they are. I don’t want to “fix” or “change” I want to show love because I am loved. I want to see people. I mean really see people because the Lord looks and you and I and goes you are the most beautiful thing in all of creation. And you. Are. Mine.
Thanks Jose, thanks for the most amazing and important experience of my life. Thanks for welcoming me home brotha.
