Today I've been in the states for nearly a week. (In Chicago). It's hard to leave the people I have grown to love as family and to once again walk out of an environment that I've grown accustom to. If I didn't have my family to go to, I don't know what I'd do.
From the teaching in Africa God showed me "Hey, being a servant IS hard work."
I have always seemed to think that Mother Teresa was just so happy to be working with diseased, crazy, and sick people that she never had a hard day, but just tightened her belt and kept working.
God has also been teaching me about forgiveness. As I return home from Africa I am being re-introduced into our culture. The billboards, the television, and many other provocative things are everywhere. I had begun to hate myself for being so fallible. I was praying to God saying "How can you forgive such a hypocrite as me? God please take me from this earth that I won't continue to sin against you and so dishonor your name in myself!"
Though I felt like a complete scum bag, I felt drawn to keep putting my trust in the word of God. "I'll either be condemned or redeemed by what I read." I read about Solomon in 1Kings. Then I thought of King David murdering for Bathsheba. "God can forgive me." What did they do to be forgiven? They asked. A simple thing to do, but at times it is impossibly difficult.
Gisele took me to hang out with some of her friends. As I warmed up and began to talk I met Jesse and John. Both students of seminary and extremely deep in thought. We talked about many things but one thing that has caught me in particular is when Jesse talked about the book of James. The theme of the first chapter is Perseverance. Jesse said "If you view the other books of the new testament in the light of Perseverance then they will make a lot more sense."
You should persevere in asking forgiveness. Repentance in Greek is "Agreement". So repentance is agreeing with God that you are a sinner and agreeing that Jesus has cleansed you. God loves you and as John (mentioned above) would say, "Yeah man, it's not a one and done type of deal!" We HAVE to persevere in all things because (Romans 5:3b-5) we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Lastly I would like to say thank you to everyone who was willing to let me go out and be a tool for The Lord. Thank you to everyone who has been following me on this blog.
I pray that this may in some way influence you to step out in faith and show God's love to those who are right under your noses. Those who you may not know because the Ideal of serving others has over-stepped them in search of "The right" others.
Psalm 136 all
Please don't live your life on this earth for God because someone has said, "The bible says... and if you don't do that then your faith is dead." but read the word to fall in love with your creator. What better testament to love is there if you have lost the world but trust in The Lord even then to fill your cup.
Love produces actions that astound the world, THAT is what we should strive for as people. Not to fulfill some duty to the man up stairs but to lay down our lives (Everything) to the one who loves so much that his love became flesh.
God bless you. Amen.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Coming Home
Hi everyone, I'm in Chicago and have a few good stories to share about how I got here. (This post is just a story of how I got home... the next one is the more serious and in focus one.)
My story begins last Sunday when I was dropped off at the airport by my missions team with Gloria Shin and Ron Dillon who were also headed home. We stood in all the necessary lines but when I spoke to the British Airways representative to validate my ticket he told me that my name wasn't in the system... Hmm... I'm not too worried yet.
I was sent to the main BA (British Airways) office in the airport. After talking to the lady in that office I was informed that when American Airlines messed with my ticket in Utah a month ago they forgot to reschedule my return ticket from Africa to London. "It's not a problem." Her confidence gave me peace when she said that. "Well just send a message to BA's office in London and we'll get you on this flight, just wait outside for ten minutes." OK, no big deal.
As I was waiting a man who had helped me find the office and was part of BA leaned over and wagged his finger for me to lean in and listen. "Hey, sometimes they won't really help you unless you give them a bribe!" His eyes going big to show me just how serious he was. My stomach went sour and I immediately went on the defensive.
"How much money do you have on you? I can go in and talk to the lady in there." He asked. When I spoke to him I raised my voice just enough so that the other people in the dark hallway could hear.
"Hey I don't have any money for a bribe! and no my friends don't have any money on them either." He started shushing me and kept prodding me for money so I told him that I'd talk to the lady myself. He disappeared before I got into the office. I talked to the lady and she was indignant that he would say something like that. She was getting really chapped off that someone had said that too me. She also assured me that as soon as she knew anything she'd contact me.
I waited five more minutes in the hall before she called me into the office and informed me that the BA office in London had closed and not sent any message to her. I could be put on standby but the Nigerian office had already over booked the flight so I wouldn't get on.
Wow! that was unexpected. Gloria and Ron who had been watching my luggage downstairs only had another 20 minutes to head into customs so that they'd board on time. None of us had the number for Haven of Hope or John our director's number. I was stuck at the airport. Not before long Gloria and Ron were forced to depart and say goodbye.
Before I tried to sleep on the cold metal bench in the airport I explored the people a bit and met a guy named Roy who was the night-shift fireman for the airport. He said that he'd take me over to the BA's main office in town when he got off work around 7:30 a.m.
I slept pretty well and kept waking up to make sure that my luggage was still there. I was finally woken by Roy who took me to the BA office and bought me porridge and a sandwich from some street vendors.
The main office was supposed to get me a flight that morning but they told me that I'd have to wait till Wednesday for a flight. It was Monday. Roy took me back to the airport.
I was upstairs just outside the restaurant reading when I decided that I was going to find my way back to Haven of Hope. I remembered that it was in a place called Nsawam and the TroTro stopped at a place called Midea. I went into the restaurant to ask and was introduced to the owners (Two ladies in the back) who instructed me on the proper TroTro's to take, but after they found out that I only had 30,000 Cedis ($2.80 American currency) they decided to take me straight to the last TroTro I needed to take.
I threw my baggage into the back of their truck and after we had done all of their errands in Accra they put me onto the right TroTro (A van with at least 10 people shoved in) to Nsawam and I got off at Midea. From Media I walked halfway down the 4mile dirt road to Haven of Hope before caving and hailing a cab.
Needless to say, John and the rest of the people at Haven were surprised to see me. I was able to stay there for two more days helping out and such before being driven back to the airport and having everything work out fine. I'm now in Chicago as I said before and God has made himself evident as my provider and protector through all of these events.
God bless you all. My next post will come before I get home.
My story begins last Sunday when I was dropped off at the airport by my missions team with Gloria Shin and Ron Dillon who were also headed home. We stood in all the necessary lines but when I spoke to the British Airways representative to validate my ticket he told me that my name wasn't in the system... Hmm... I'm not too worried yet.
I was sent to the main BA (British Airways) office in the airport. After talking to the lady in that office I was informed that when American Airlines messed with my ticket in Utah a month ago they forgot to reschedule my return ticket from Africa to London. "It's not a problem." Her confidence gave me peace when she said that. "Well just send a message to BA's office in London and we'll get you on this flight, just wait outside for ten minutes." OK, no big deal.
As I was waiting a man who had helped me find the office and was part of BA leaned over and wagged his finger for me to lean in and listen. "Hey, sometimes they won't really help you unless you give them a bribe!" His eyes going big to show me just how serious he was. My stomach went sour and I immediately went on the defensive.
"How much money do you have on you? I can go in and talk to the lady in there." He asked. When I spoke to him I raised my voice just enough so that the other people in the dark hallway could hear.
"Hey I don't have any money for a bribe! and no my friends don't have any money on them either." He started shushing me and kept prodding me for money so I told him that I'd talk to the lady myself. He disappeared before I got into the office. I talked to the lady and she was indignant that he would say something like that. She was getting really chapped off that someone had said that too me. She also assured me that as soon as she knew anything she'd contact me.
I waited five more minutes in the hall before she called me into the office and informed me that the BA office in London had closed and not sent any message to her. I could be put on standby but the Nigerian office had already over booked the flight so I wouldn't get on.
Wow! that was unexpected. Gloria and Ron who had been watching my luggage downstairs only had another 20 minutes to head into customs so that they'd board on time. None of us had the number for Haven of Hope or John our director's number. I was stuck at the airport. Not before long Gloria and Ron were forced to depart and say goodbye.
Before I tried to sleep on the cold metal bench in the airport I explored the people a bit and met a guy named Roy who was the night-shift fireman for the airport. He said that he'd take me over to the BA's main office in town when he got off work around 7:30 a.m.
I slept pretty well and kept waking up to make sure that my luggage was still there. I was finally woken by Roy who took me to the BA office and bought me porridge and a sandwich from some street vendors.
The main office was supposed to get me a flight that morning but they told me that I'd have to wait till Wednesday for a flight. It was Monday. Roy took me back to the airport.
I was upstairs just outside the restaurant reading when I decided that I was going to find my way back to Haven of Hope. I remembered that it was in a place called Nsawam and the TroTro stopped at a place called Midea. I went into the restaurant to ask and was introduced to the owners (Two ladies in the back) who instructed me on the proper TroTro's to take, but after they found out that I only had 30,000 Cedis ($2.80 American currency) they decided to take me straight to the last TroTro I needed to take.
I threw my baggage into the back of their truck and after we had done all of their errands in Accra they put me onto the right TroTro (A van with at least 10 people shoved in) to Nsawam and I got off at Midea. From Media I walked halfway down the 4mile dirt road to Haven of Hope before caving and hailing a cab.
Needless to say, John and the rest of the people at Haven were surprised to see me. I was able to stay there for two more days helping out and such before being driven back to the airport and having everything work out fine. I'm now in Chicago as I said before and God has made himself evident as my provider and protector through all of these events.
God bless you all. My next post will come before I get home.
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