Sorry to take so long to post on Facebook about being home. I am frequently asked if I am having reverse culture shock, what did I most miss eating and want to dig into and also, what is the hardest part in coming back to America. First let me say what is the best part. My family. Period. We are close and of all the sacrifices one makes in coming to the mission field, loneliness is the hardest, by far, for me. Seeing my mom and dad, son and daughter is awesome. And soon a grand son, of course. The greatest shock here is the lack of people. America is vacant. I drove home just after rush hour from the airport with my parents. At one point I was looking at a road going a mile in front of us and a mile behind, two wide lanes on each side and sidewalks with a huge median in the middle. Forty cars, tops, no pedestrians. The lawn on both sides of the road past the sidewalks was enormous. All groomed, all neat and big..... and empty. Now we have empty places in Africa. The bush, the desert and the jungle. But I had just come from Kenya and more specifically Nairobi. Memphis has 600000 to 800000 in the city limits and over a million in the greater Memphis area. In Nairobi, the Mathare slums where I work we have over a half million people in a two by two square mile area with no two story buildings. The side walks are crammed with vendors and pedestrians, and yes, goats, cattle, donkeys and occasionally a camel and yes I am talking about Nairobi, not some village. I drive home at rush hour here in Memphis and it looks like ten at night in Nairobi on a Tuesday. The food I missed most was barbecue and Mexican. Still looking for my first BBQ. Will get that done soon. The hardest thing is my patience with others, in dealing with being home. People come up to me and ask whether I am pre or post trib and what do I think about all the signs pointing to Jesus coming back tomorrow. I sigh. Pre Tribulation. Really? I have had half my members in East Leigh arrested and beaten in the last six months. One just the week before I left. ISIS is killing Christians by the tens of thousands, we lost three brothers and sisters to radicals my first six months there. There is arguably a building mountain of tribulation growing around the world and Americans want to know if I think Jesus is coming back before or after the tribulation. I want to scream that since Jesus left, the righteous have been suffering persecution. I am not a dispensationalist. Not in the least. Ill not go there now. Is Jesus coming back tomorrow? Well, He said He will not come back till the Gospel of the KINGDOM, is preached to all the world. I will admit, SOME gospel has been preached to 80 % of the world. But the Gospel of the Kingdom? No, Jesus is not coming back tomorrow. There is much to do . Almost twenty percent of the world has never even heard the name of Jesus. It is possible that 90 percent of the world has not heard the Gospel of the Kingdom. I am enjoying my time at home. I feel guilty about all the relaxation. I appreciate the opportunities to share, here. I am enjoying meeting folks I only knew from Facebook. My ally in the faith, Wilson back in Kenya is working diligently to Sheppard the flock. Marc Carrier and team are at the helm of the work in Africa. Our leaders are making disciples who make disciples. Our men and women are caring for the widows and Sammie and Grace are teaching school kids in the slums while they attend to the many, many street orphans. It is all going on without me. The Kingdom advances. I feel a bit adrift. I cherish the opportunities to meet with folks and share what God is doing. This is all new to me. I have literally said to people that I dont know what to say to Westerners. Seriously, I have said that. But I am learning. Each time I share, I understand more and more the role of the returning missionary. But I am just a rookie. Learning still. Miles to go before I sleep. Pray for me.
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 15:03:14 +0000
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