Timing

As I got off the plane in Sierra Leone, I finally felt the humid heat I had missed for so long. There was a gentle breeze coming off the ocean. It felt good to be back. I had traveled 30+ hours in the same clothes including sandals- I got crazy looks from fellow Thanksgiving travelers in D.C. and Brussels. It was the first time in Africa for a passenger I met on the plane, I told him "welcome to chaos" as we enter the airport custom area. No lines, just a huge mob of people trying to get places. I waited patiently until I finally could show my passport and all it took was to say "Merse sheep" and I smiled as they waived me through to the only luggage carousel in Lungi airport. I was greeted by one of the security men and the only response I had to "How d'body?" was "Tell Papa God tenki!" He helped me load my heavy bags since my arm was still in a splint. It felt good to see a familiar face in the crowds outside the airport. Bridget and her husband, Pastor Mark, have been helping crew come and go throughout the year. I also know Bridget because she was one of my last patients the week I left in September. It was so good to see her smile and know she is better since her surgery. I took a taxi, a ferry, and a landrover- that was about 3 hours of waiting to get home to the ship. With all that time to hurry up and wait, I had time to reflect at my time stateside. As we slowly crept through the streets in Freetown- it started become familiar to me again. People, young and old, were still out late at night... men with baby strollers pushing coolers of drinks around, women sitting next to their lanterns selling the catch of the day, children carrying baskets of plantains and water on top of their heads. The streets like Sani Abacha and Kissy Road were packed with taxis and poda podas carrying people to and fro. I was getting anxious to get to the ship when we were on Fourah Bay when a poda poda came very close to hitting us. I am still a little squeamish when it comes to near miss car accidents since mine, but this time I couldn't close my eyes. It is common to see phrases painted on the front pertaining to God on these buses and this one I saw clearly.. "God's Timing is the BEST." Simply put, but the most important lesson I needed to learn that night and for the past year. Despite illness, the setbacks, canceled flights, missed days on the ship, discouragement, and I can go on... I saw God's hand at work through it all. Really in all that and God was working? Yes, He was. God's plan was for me to be stateside for 76 days. I might not know the BIG picture yet, but He does, and I can rest that His timing is the best.