Very soon, I will be kicking up the dust of Kenya’s streets
for the last time, cat cage in hand, and strapping myself to the wings of a big
bird. Through spacious skies, I will
cross sundry amber waves of grain, span purple mountain majesties, and traverse
innumerable fruited plains, and finally return on the sturdy ground of the Land
of the Free, where the rich soil of Kenya remaining on the soles of my shoes
will be covered and washed away with the pure white snow, which will coat this
new, yet familiar place that I call home.
Looking back at my time spent in Kenya, I feel an ache of
sadness in the depths of my soul because I know that this is the end. A sense of longing to stay here and to
continue unfinished business occludes my heart and constricts my lungs. However, I have come to realize that just
because I’m leaving Kenya does not mean this journey has ended. In fact, I’m realizing that this excursion
was only a small part of my true journey—that is, my journey towards
Christ. As I step foot back on American
soil (or snow—which ever decides to greet me), I know that God is still calling
me to do work there. I want to express
that I’m not trying to say that God has called ME in particular to do His work;
I really just want to get everyone to start thinking, and realizing that their
journey is so significant to God and we all really can change lives in the
seemingly mundane daily activities of our lives. In fact, I don’t think the distance you
travel to spread God’s love really matters that much. As much as it seems to a lot of people that
the significant part of my journey was travelling to an underdeveloped African
country, oceans away from home, I think that the real crux of the journey was
spreading God’s love through kindness and compassion. I’ve learned that we don’t have to travel to
an undeveloped country to God’s work because there is a strong need for His
love everywhere we go. Whether you work
as a preacher, gas station attendant, waiter, writer, or nurse, you do make a
significant impact on the people you interact with on a daily basis, and that
impact can either bring people closer to God (planting seeds of love in their
hearts) or steer them in the opposite direction. Thus, I’m coming back to my homeland with a
spring in my step, knowing that I get the opportunity to do God’s work wherever
I place my feet.
