Jeremy Gardner, Fall Tour Leader of Daraja Children’s Choir of Africa, recently visited Kiu and Ngaamba to see the 2011 Daraja kids.
WE ARE CLOSE
“We are close.”
When we arrived, I learned that “close” is a matter of perspective.
As we finished our day, we realized we had hiked over 6 miles.
But…”We are close.”
We walked to Clinton’s house to visit with his mother. Clinton is a member of the 2011 Daraja Choir. He is a terrific kid with a humble, unassuming spirit. At some point, one of our team members asked Clinton, “How much farther to your house?”
Clinton’s response was, “We are close.”
I knew we had been walking a while.
I only knew because I thought about what I had done since we began our trek.
I had talked to Clinton about his family.
I had talked to Clinton about my family.
He laughed when I told him my in-laws named their dog “Cocoa.”
(I guess it is funny…Cocoa is a tan Chihuahua.)
I had talked to Dan McCharles about his story.
I had talked to Caitlin Pitts about her calling to Kenya.
I had talked to Matt Noblitt…to Jenny Korwan…to Torrie Atkins…
I knew we had been walking a while…
I had new friends…
I had fallen deeper in love with Jesus…
I had been challenged to serve Him better…
I had seen God’s creation like I never have before.
I enjoyed the journey.
It was less about the destination in that moment (or in that few hours).
How many times are we distracted by the “destination?”
How many times do we miss the beauty of the journey while we count the miles, seconds or years until our next “destination:”
the last day of school…graduation…promotion…the wedding…the birth…payday?
May we realize, in the course of our journey, the beauty of it.
May the journey become the destination.
After all…
“We are close.”
