Barefoot Slave

I make one more walk through mom and dad's house to make sure I have not forgotten anything - a frequent occurrence.  As I look around my room, everything my eye lands on brings up memories - each item on a shelf has a story that runs through my mind in fast-forward.  I smile at the pictures of myself with some of my greatest friends like Carli Clements, Coleman Housefield, Joe Emmert.  Almost every picture is from Africa - a continent which has been the breeding ground for some of my deepest friendships.

I make it downstairs and take a moment to sit on the couch.  Ah yes, the famous green couch - ask anyone who has sat on it and they'll tell you it's one of the world's best.  I've watched many movies with my family on this couch, had many sleepovers in this den.  This is the house I grew up in; it's soaked in memories.  Every inch of every room wreaks of my childhood, and it makes me smile.

I close the garage door and watch my worldly possessions cluttering the garage (sorry dad!) slowly disappear.  Making the drive back north to central Virginia has become all too familiar over the past five years.  I have my normal stops and routes, and I can almost predict every bump in the road.  However, I won't be making the drive much anymore.  College has come and gone and I've landed my dream job, which has me packing my things and going to Africa for the rest of 2011.

It's not a full-time move, but for my heart, it might as well be.  I fell in love with Africa over ten years ago, and I feel like I'm going home each time I return.  This time I carry with me more responsibility (and luggage) than ever before.  Days ago, I picked up my international driver's license and I'll obtain my Ugandan license when I hit the ground there.  Another sign for my heart that my long-term missions career has begun.

I haven't written much lately, but I assure you that there will be plenty of material once I reach Uganda.  Come back soon, stay updated on what God is doing there.  Pray for me, for those I work with.  Labor for souls with us.

I fly to London on Sunday evening to meet some friends there.  After we spend the day touring London, there will be one last plan ride between me and home.  Praise the Lord, I'm going home.