What's a Furlough?
Posted by: ba <ba@...>
http://www.forthright.net
Straight to the Cross
COLUMN: Final Phase
What's a Furlough?
by J. Randal Matheny
This missionary is heading out in a few hours to
what many people call a "furlough". Military term
for time away from the field. Here are my rushed
thoughts on a furlough.
A furlough is an exercise in patience. Who can
take care of the house for six weeks? Who can
start the car up so the battery won't run down and
the tires rot? Who can collect the house mail, and
go to the post office box? Who can pay the bills
while we're gone? And whose passports are expired?
(This year: Leila's U.S. passport. Meaning: a trip
to the consulate in Sao Paulo.) Go to the airport
five hours early instead of two, since the customs
people are on strike.
A furlough is an exercise at juggling. Setting up
appointments at congregations to report and speak.
Coordinating visits with family. Finding U.S.
transportation. Reservations and tickets.
Returning tickets when Delta wants to change
flight numbers. Picking up new tickets on day of
travel. (I was sweating that one.) Hiring a van to
transport baggage and bodies to the airport.
A furlough is time away from work. Who can do this
and that, preach in my place, go to the new
congregation, teach that class? Finish
evangelistic study. Interrupt another study and
pray the person doesn't lose interest in the
interval. Try to keep the magazine from falling
further behind. Leave off that visit that needed
to be made.
A furlough is a time of reflection and prayer. How
can I do better, different, more, less? Distant
from the work, the questions come quick and fast:
where am I failing, where am I getting it right,
who can be trained, who can be encouraged more,
who can be reached that I haven't tried before?
A furlough is a time for connections. See how the
family is doing. Renew contacts with churches,
elders, preachers, missions committees. Take wife
for a walk in the park, kids to anywhere except
McDonalds. Attend a few funerals, maybe a wedding,
even a golden anniversary.
A furlough is a time for thanksgiving. So many
years, so many blessings, so many demonstrations
of the Lord's care. So many souls, so many
efforts, so few workers. So many ... excuse me,
telephone.
A furlough is a time to hoof it. Wife just called
and said she's ready and I need to pick her up,
take her home, go get new tickets, put a document
in the mail, and finish a Forthright article.
At least the last one is easy.
But I'm sure I'm forgetting something.
That's what a furlough is.
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