Holding On

Writer’s block, lack of motivation, busyness I am not sure what to claim as my tardiness of getting a new entry up…It really is hard to keep those New Year’s commitments but with a little pushing from Mary I have got my swagger back and I have made up my mind to post something TO-DAY!

I have find myself typing away at Starbuck’s (where Unpacked Minds was actually birthed), my soft keyboard taps blending into the mellow jazz playing and the Starbuck’s employees talking/arguing about the latest string of celebrities that have been in trouble. OK, the Venti Caramel Macchiato (extra hot, thank you very much) is kicking in so maybe I can stop rambling and start unpacking.

Just to give you, our faithful reader (I think we actually have one –yippee!), an update I have been back stateside from my latest work trip to Sierra Leone and Benin since March. Benin is in Francophone Africa and since I speak no French, I became a master at hand and facial expressions…All I can say is thank God for translators, however, even with translators I learned they needed to have my “American-Accented English” translated into English (Quick question, why doesn’t “y’all” translate!?). It was quite comical but I made it through in Benin…which, may I tell you, included a trip through Ghana, a long bus ride and stops and interrogations through three immigration offices (2 of which were French speaking)…WHEW!

Sierra Leone, where English is spoken, but again, not my “American-Accented English”, so I still needed a bit of translation help and used facial expressions and hand gestures. However, most people do not think of communication issues when I say I have been to Sierra Leone, they almost immediately connect it to the Civil War that happened there not too long ago. Due to the Civil War the living conditions and infrastructure are still poor; however, I was blessed to be there – generators, water needing to be brought in for basic necessities, bumpy roads and all (I was one of the fortunate ones during my stay because some of these things are very hard to come by and cost too much for a lot of the locals).

I had a first experience of having to take a speedboat from Freetown, where most of the major business happens in Sierra Leone, back to Lungi where I resided. The speedboat was not the “first” experience but being carried out of the speedboat by these young men, though solid muscle, barely came up to my shoulder in height. When our boat got as close to the shore as possible I was surrounded by young men trying to pick me up (literally), at first I had no idea what was happening, then I saw my co-worker, who is male, being carried off. I said a quick prayer and a guy scooped me up and we headed off to shore. The young guy who barely reached my shoulder said something to the effect of, “Hold on. Do not worry, I’ve got you”. The whole (less than 1 minute walk) I berated myself for that seafood lunch I had eaten earlier that day or was it all the ice cream I have eaten this year…urg! Needless, to say I made it to shore safe and dry and for you, our faithful, reader I have attached a picture (above), not of me but to give you an idea of this carrying process to and from the speedboat.

It was funny because during our stay in Sierra Leone, my co-worker who is also a Pastor, preached in the church of our host, on how we often have to “Step out of the boat in faith!” I bet he was inspired by our experience earlier in the week!

Another first was hearing all the first-hand stories of the people who have been personally affected by the Civil War…. How they would hide every time they would hear the sounds of helicopters overhead and felt at many times their lives would end before the war did. One young man told me of the story of his cousin who was barely a teenager when he was kidnapped off of his family’s property, forced and drugged into being a child solider, and now this same young man, in his twenties, has witnessed and done things people three times his age cannot even fathom. He is finally free but having to readjust, relearn and reintegrate into the family he barely knows anymore and a community that still may fear him because of his past. His life was stolen from him at such a tender age. Can you even imagine? I tear up every time I try to.

The most amazing thing that happened during my time in Sierra Leone is that every person I talked to about the war times is full of hope, believing the country, their country, will and is getting better, they feel the government is now on the side of Sierra Leone and not the diamond mongers. They are hope-full that positive change will happen. They want to believe, they do believe, because they remember where they have come from. Everywhere I turned I saw some of the most physically solid built men, woman and children not because of gym equipment but because of the necessity to work, to make a living, to get their country on its feet.

As I write about my experienced being carried to the shore and talking to people who have lived through such a horrific “storm” and thereby forced out of their “boat of comfort”, I am reminded how faithful God is to carry us through the most devastating times and circumstances. Sierra Leone reminded me sometimes we are forced out of the boat of our circumstances and all we can cling to is faith.

If you are reading this please take some time to pray for Sierra Leone, as the Spirit moves you; and please take this “anchor” of hope in your own life, wherever you find yourself now or in the future (your “storm” is either here or may be coming soon), God is saying “Hold on. Do not worry, I’ve got you”.

Until Next Time,
Lenny