Finding Comfort in the Storm

One of life’s greatest gifts is a reunion between two lost friends. A reunion that marks the end of being separated and the hopeful restoration of life as it was before. This past week I was reacquainted with lost friends whom I had not seen in 10 years. We were never the greatest of friends for they lived in South Africa and we were in Zimbabwe, but the days we spent together on Safaris in Kruger National Park left a permanent impression on me. Memories of good times were solidified in my thoughts as the kind that provokes excitement to return to the breathtaking continent. Remembering their genuine and authentic hospitality that was graciously shared with my family will surely be treasured for years to come.

Now as a short-term student missionary who’s primary job description reads teaching primary school in the midst of ADRA and Maranatha directors, physicians, and other professionals in the field, I sometimes find myself caught in the sea of inferiority. The value that I posses considering past life experiences, personality, and education hold little weight in the eyes of ‘the established.’ The ones whom have finished their education and have or have not started a family. My father reassures me that the feeling is similar to being a Taskforce worker at any Academy. Stuck in a grey area between fully adult and half child, the teachers though most often won’t verbally admit it, view you as substandard and immature, while the students are required to respect you just the same as any other staff member. This was clearly evident to me in my 4 years in academy and now I’m faced with experiencing the very same feeling I once observed.

Some would say that it’s just a fact of life and one must simply let the experience run it’s course but I object whole-heartedly. My strong willed character advises me to prove my value and reach for the stars. What ever happened to trying to be the best you can possibly be? Is there a reaching point or a climax one must decide he or she has tried hard enough to attain and just let loose? Not in one million years!

Step one requires me to recognize the sin-filled situation as it exists and realize that it’s no one person’s fault. Perhaps it has been engrained in our society over the course of history and has simply been observed as a negative behavioral characteristic in humans as of late. Step two states to work hard to change the systematic procedure of treatment through not deflecting inadequacy as a personal weakness. With remaining disciplined and motivated as the limiting factor, time will begin to turn the gears of change creating a shift in the perception of my value.

It has been the reuniting with this family that has provided sufficient comfort and a glimpse of what is to come if I succeed. They invited Trent and I into their home two nights in a row and have fed us great food. They remain a solidified safe haven and a family who sees the value in us. It is the indispensible value in friendships and the promise in Jeremiah 29:11 that provides a sufficient safeguard.