“All circles presuppose that they will end where they began, but only in their leaving will they come back round.”
The quote that ran through my head when I decided to live out of a pack 11 months ago. Deep, I know. Humorous that I read it in a bathroom stall. But more times than not this year I’ve found that gems exist in the dirtiest and most unsuspecting of places. Little did I know how much this quote would truly come into fruition.
So where are we now? Can it really be month 11? Yeah, I can’t believe it either. If I could put the last 11 months of my experiences in a box and hand it to you, I would. I want you to see all of it. I want you to ask about it. I want you to feel it. I want you to sit with the father and daughter on the street and color. I want you to go to dinner with the street kids. I want you to pick up that African child and spin them around. I want you to sing your heart out in an underground church. I want you to find gems in unsuspecting places.
What I’m here to do now? I’m here to tell you about the first gem I ever found. The one God let me trip over.
It was 3 years ago. I was here, in South Africa. My first big mission trip (out of the good ole’ USA of course). My group went to the local township where the term “poverty stricken” could describe just about each family’s condition. Our job? Play with the kids. All day long. Crazy isn’t it? I thought it was. I mean, I came all this way just to play with the kids?
Little did I know that was exactly what they needed. Most of these kids weren’t used to love like that. They didn’t know what it felt like to sit on an adults shoulders. Or get thrown into the sky and get those butterflies in your stomach. They didn’t jump ropes with adults. This was a new world to them. A world where love was just three words away.. “put me here” (as they tap their shoulders). So that was our month. Every day for 6 hours. It was only a matter of time before I fell for one of them.
You try so hard to love and leave, but it never works. You always leave a piece of you. I was ignorant then. I didn’t realize how much you never wanted to leave once you arrived. One child brought me nuts he would pick off a tree every single day to show that he remembered me. We would hangout every day. He taught me (tried to teach me) how to use this cool top thing. I was terrible at it, but he was determined, haha. Eventually the last day came. He cried, I didn’t cry (that’s a lie). I got in the van and we drove off while we both waved to each other. And that was the first time I got my heart ripped out.
It’s been three years and I haven’t seen him since that last day when we waved goodbye, but he would always tell me: “God is with you, all the time.” He never fails to make my prayers. No matter what I’m praying about. Sometimes it sounds like “God thank you for this meal, please bless it to our bodies, and please be with my South African homie. Amen.” Praise Jesus for loving slang. But there it was, my first gem. Never forgotten about. But here’s where that crazy quote comes in…
This month, I’m a Month 11 Racer. This month, I’m in South Africa. Actually, I’m at the same ministry where I met my friend. Tomorrow, I’m going to his township to see him. Tomorrow, my nerves will be jumping like it’s Christmas. Tomorrow, I plan on crying and laughing. Tomorrow, no one will quite understand. Tomorrow, I’m going to see a gem in an unsuspecting place. Thankfully, this one’s already been found. Thank you Jesus.
“All circles presuppose that they will end where they began, but only in their leaving will they come back round.”
I love that God has gems and keeps most of them in places we think dirty or uncomfortable. It’s almost like he likes us getting dirty for His treasures.
Thanks for reading y’all. See you in a few weeks!
**It’s been a few days since I wrote this, so here’s an update on my meeting.
