Sunday, April 18, 2010

Trip Update: I am/ I am not

I am an American husband, father and youth pastor who has spent the past 18 days in Africa.
I am officially stuck here as 4 straight nights of flights have been canceled.
I am the 4th night of those cancelations, meaning I'm 4th in line whenever the flights pick back up.
I am missing my daughter, whom I said goodbye to 18 days ago.
I am missing my wife, whom I said goodbye to 8 days ago.
I am anxious to get home, and uncertain when that will happen.
I am very tempted to be frustrated and wish I never had left for Africa, or at least gone back with the IMPACT on the 11th.
I am all these things.

At the same time...
I am not an orphan child living in the slums of Nairobi.
I am not a Meshack, Esther, or Andrew, living in an orphanage and wondering if I'll ever get a mommy or daddy.
I am not the HIV positive mother who has been selling her body in order to feed her children.
I am not the 2 year old son of that mother who is HIV positive.
I am not a Pygmy child with dirty and tattered clothes 4 sizes too large for me.
I am not a refugee living in a home made of sticks and a UN donated tarp.
I am not a woman who has been raped by rebel armies, then left by her husband because I am now "dirty."
I am not an unpaid pastor, serving God, but do not know how my church building will be paid for and my family fed.
I am not a DRC Pygmy living in the jungles in fear of rebel armies that may come in, kill me, and eat my flesh (yes you read that right).
I am not Charles, who as an 8 year old sat in the midst of thousands of mutilated Tutsi bodies as the Hutu armies killed my family.
I am not any of these things.

Because I am not these things, I am keeping perspective as I wait to continue my journey home.

Thank you God for awareness gained.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

sounds like you have gained lots of perspective during your time spent in Africa. Know that I am praying for you and the whole flight situation. God is still in control :)

KLantz said...

Derry. Being in Ireland, I am quite aware of all of these cancellations and craziness and I'm sorry you are stuck. Perspective has been the word of the past month for me so thanks for enriching it even more. Hang in there friend!