This blog below is from Allison Johnston, my soon to be boss at AIM. She puts in words what my heart sometimes feels; about being in the states but sometimes wanting to be overseas, about pursuing hard the calling of being here at home, and now moving to Georgia to do office missions. Has your heart ever meltdown like this? Mine has.
Thanks to my Dad and CBS News I had a meltdown last night. It went something like this:
I was rushing home from the gym. Sweaty, holding a ton of junk in
my hands and annoyed that my phone was beeping at me. Didn’t it know I
was tired and really wanted a break? It was a text from my Dad and I
can count on one hand the number of times my Dad has texted me. Not our
normal form of talking.
my hands and annoyed that my phone was beeping at me. Didn’t it know I
was tired and really wanted a break? It was a text from my Dad and I
can count on one hand the number of times my Dad has texted me. Not our
normal form of talking.
The text read: DAD: Are you watching the news? They are in Kenya and it is really bad.
ME: No, but I will. (meanwhile, heart is pounding as my mind whirls through every possible scenario involving World Racers, Kenya and horrible incidents.)
I drop everything and run to the TV. In my head I am wondering why
our international safety updates this morning didn’t mention any
upheaval in Kenya. All the while I am quickly escalating “really bad
in Kenya” to “world racers trapped in collapsed government, or horrific
plane crash in Kenya”, or any other of horrendous situations as I flip
through the channels.
our international safety updates this morning didn’t mention any
upheaval in Kenya. All the while I am quickly escalating “really bad
in Kenya” to “world racers trapped in collapsed government, or horrific
plane crash in Kenya”, or any other of horrendous situations as I flip
through the channels.
CBS Nightly News comes into focus and I slowly sink to the floor.
(still sweating and holding all my junk, mind you). The screen is
filled with pictures of starving people waiting in line for food.
Children with forearms the size of my pinky because of malnutrition.
It was terrible. If you missed the story on the news, watch it here: CBS NEWS.
(still sweating and holding all my junk, mind you). The screen is
filled with pictures of starving people waiting in line for food.
Children with forearms the size of my pinky because of malnutrition.
It was terrible. If you missed the story on the news, watch it here: CBS NEWS.
Immediately I am relieved because it has nothing to do with a
catastrophic, international emergency. Racers are safe and happy and
doing ministry in Kenya right now. In my eyes, really things were fine.
Of course people are starving, of course children’s limbs are deformed
from malnutrition, or course the refugees are walking miles for clean
water. None of this is new news to me.
catastrophic, international emergency. Racers are safe and happy and
doing ministry in Kenya right now. In my eyes, really things were fine.
Of course people are starving, of course children’s limbs are deformed
from malnutrition, or course the refugees are walking miles for clean
water. None of this is new news to me.
Itwas one of those deep moments of realization that my normal is not the
rest of the world’s normal. Those scenes are familiar to me. They are
not familiar to most of the American public. This is news to most of
America. Unfortunately, not to me.
And here is where the meltdown began. The meltdown could go multiple ways actually, and I am still not sure which is worse.
My mind went here:
** I should be in Kenya. I should be doing something. This is
NOT ok. Children starving is not ok. I think I will go tonight. Yes!
I will buy a ticket tonight and go to Kenya. I am not doing anything
worthwhile here and people are starving and I have to go.
NOT ok. Children starving is not ok. I think I will go tonight. Yes!
I will buy a ticket tonight and go to Kenya. I am not doing anything
worthwhile here and people are starving and I have to go.
** How is this so normal to me and the people closest to me, who
should have the most access to my life, don’t know of this normal? Have
I not shared enough? Do I need to do a better job communicating? What
can I do to get other people to see what I have seen?
should have the most access to my life, don’t know of this normal? Have
I not shared enough? Do I need to do a better job communicating? What
can I do to get other people to see what I have seen?
** We ARE doing something about this situation in Kenya right now. Our Kenya Initiative team
is there. They are on the ground, working in camps, loving people,
feeding people, building homes for people. I just put 46 World Racers
on a plane to Kenya last Friday from DC. They are there. They are
being Jesus. They are bringing hope, food, and life. Here is a report
from them just today:
is there. They are on the ground, working in camps, loving people,
feeding people, building homes for people. I just put 46 World Racers
on a plane to Kenya last Friday from DC. They are there. They are
being Jesus. They are bringing hope, food, and life. Here is a report
from them just today:
Team
Tuna Moto (Team on Fire in Swahili) needs some prayers for tomorrow. We
are going out to big name grocery stores to have them partner with
us/the local NGO we are working with, to supply a truck. That truck will
be used to transport food to the starving people in northern Kenya.
That and we are going to be trying to empower the local people to build
relationships and help themselves fight hunger. God is in this place!
lovelove Day one at ministries on The World Race .
Tuna Moto (Team on Fire in Swahili) needs some prayers for tomorrow. We
are going out to big name grocery stores to have them partner with
us/the local NGO we are working with, to supply a truck. That truck will
be used to transport food to the starving people in northern Kenya.
That and we are going to be trying to empower the local people to build
relationships and help themselves fight hunger. God is in this place!
lovelove Day one at ministries on The World Race .
Okay – deep breath. I am not going to Kenya tonight. I am going
to stay right here and continue to send others. I am going to keep
working on websites, marketing plans, logistics, and field care for the
400 people we have on the field right now.
to stay right here and continue to send others. I am going to keep
working on websites, marketing plans, logistics, and field care for the
400 people we have on the field right now.
I am also going to do more to communicate. I am going to share
stories of heartbreak and restoration. Pain and celebration – America
needs to see the “normal” that exists outside of FB and our cubicles.
stories of heartbreak and restoration. Pain and celebration – America
needs to see the “normal” that exists outside of FB and our cubicles.
And I am going to pray, encourage, support and love on the people 
we
have in Kenya right now. Would you join me? Will you read the blogs
on the WR page? Will you click the link to the Kenya team and drop your
hard-earned dollars into the support account that funds their efforts
at restoration?
wehave in Kenya right now. Would you join me? Will you read the blogs
on the WR page? Will you click the link to the Kenya team and drop your
hard-earned dollars into the support account that funds their efforts
at restoration?
Friends, I promise to you that I will do a better job sharing what
is happening in the world. I want to show you their normal. I also
promise to better show you what WE are doing to help the normal things
of the world. The teams that are traveling, sharing, praying and
loving. I want you to know what we are doing together to make news like
that no longer part of their normal.
is happening in the world. I want to show you their normal. I also
promise to better show you what WE are doing to help the normal things
of the world. The teams that are traveling, sharing, praying and
loving. I want you to know what we are doing together to make news like
that no longer part of their normal.
Just today I got word of over 100 healings last week in the bush of Mozambique. Now THAT is the normal we should be talking about. As soon as I get the details they are headed your way!
