Nineteen and Counting
Posted by: ba <ba@...>
http://www.forthright.net
Straight to the Cross
COLUMN: Final Phase
Nineteen and Counting
by J. Randal Matheny
Last Friday, my family and I celebrated nineteen
years of work in Brazil. With three other
families, we arrived early in the morning of 28th
November 1984 in Rio de Janeiro on a flight from
Miami.
When the customs officials saw our documents, they
ushered us all into a waiting area and began an
item-by-item inspection. The health documents for
our family had been prepared by Dr. George Hobby,
who grew up as a missionary kid in Africa. Mindful
of bureaucratic officials, he included everything
except the syringes with which he had drawn blood.
As a result, we were cleared, while the other
three couples rushed off in a taxi to repeat the
full list of health exams. Vicki, Micah, and I
babysitted four piles of new missionary luggage in
the airport lounge.
We lost our connecting flight and failed to arrive
on time in Belo Horizonte's new airport. Nineteen
years ago, there were no cell phones to call
colleagues waiting to receive us. But with the
Lord's blessing, he did get us all to our
destination on that day.
That entry episode made an appropriate analogy for
the ensuing years of work. It reminded us of
truths like these:
. One waits while another runs.
. Expect plans to be changed.
. Make the body perform on demand.
. Find joy (and humor) where you least expect it.
. Know the difference between a dial tone and a
busy signal.
. Expect people to take a long, hard look at who
you are.
There have been other lessons, for sure. Working
in a different language and culture, other
precepts have crept up behind me.
. Be open, transparent, and learn to risk.
. Live and operate on a shoe string.
. Take time to listen. And then some.
. The long way around may be the shortest route.
And maybe the only route.
. Let Brazilians criticize their own culture.
. Identify and be as Brazilian as possible,
knowing you will never be completely successful.
. Don't sweat flight delays; you could be stuck on
a boat.
. Sources of support may come and go, but the Lord
will never desert you.
. Man may never see what you are accomplishing.
Doesn't matter, the Lord takes note.
. If you start it, who will finish it?
You know as well as I that nineteen years of life
cannot be reduced to a dozen maxims.
But it's fun trying.
I learned that in nineteen years, too.
The date of 28 November 1984 is stamped on my
National Foreign Registration card. More than
that, it is stamped on our hearts by a wonderful
people who have infected us with their joy for
life in Christ and love for his presence and
glory.
So it's nineteen. And counting.
"So teach us to number our days that we may get a
heart of wisdom" (Psa. 90:12, ESB).
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