We arrived in Waterloo, Sierra Leone 22 hours ago after roughly 26 hours of travel with 8 fifty pound checked bags (we travel light, what can I say?). Those 8 bags contained what I felt most essential to survive in Africa as well as some supplies for the hospital. There was more than one moment of panic where I imagined never seeing those 8 bags again. Turned out our bags were checked through to Ghana, which was our layover and not all the way through to our final destination of Sierra Leone. In order to re-check luggage in Ghana, you need a visa, which we did not have. We didn’t know any of this until we checked in at the airport in Chattanooga, TN. We called to clarify, but the woman who booked our ticket was on lunch. During our flight, our travel agent informed us through an email to NOT GET ON THE PLANE to Ghana if South African Airlines in D.C (our next layover) couldn’t help us with this problem. Well, the South African Airlines couldn’t help us but they thought we could through Ghana. Our travel agent, whom we had on the phone by now, was worried that without a visa we were going to get quarantined and deported. So we prayed and got on the plane, despite a worried travel agent. We were able to obtain a 24 hour visa for a fee, grab all 8 of our bags and recheck them (for yet another fee). Spoiler alert, we made it to Sierra Leone.
Before we left the US I had just read a section of Timothy Keller’s book, “Prayer.” He talks about how Paul rarely prayed for different circumstances for himself or others: despite disease, imprisonment, poor political leadership, and persecution. He doesn’t focus solely on praying for better health, protection, food, more benevolent leadership – the things usually highest on our list. Instead he prays that his friends will know Jesus better (check out Ephesians 1:18-21). He prayed for what he thought was most important for God to give them. Reading this made me realize how often I pray for a change in circumstance. I prayed that I would not have to deal with arriving in SL without any of my earthly belongings, instead of praying that He would sustain me through whatever happened. What if instead of always praying for a change in circumstances I focus more on praying for courage, peace, perseverance, kindness, love? What if I focus on knowing God more? Keller says “knowing God better is what we must have above all if we are to face life in any circumstances” – good or bad.
Our time here in SL has been lovely so far. It is the rainy season and therefore not as oppressively hot as it will be later. The people are kind and they remember us from a year ago. We are living in a nice studio apartment until repairs are finished on our house. It’s like being back in college again, just with cold bucket showers.
Thanks for all your prayers and support!
