I am now back in Liberia after an amazing week in Kenya. It was great to be reunited with Bob and Chris and to share our experiences in our respected countries here in West Africa. Not to mention, of course, finally seeing the great creatures that roam the Serengeti on safari!
And thankfully, everyone made it back home safely. But it is a somewhat strange feeling for me to now be “alone” on this continent. Of course I am not alone (I even still have someone from our own diocese here with me) but you know what I mean. I am in good spirits, however, knowing that God still has great plans for my few remaining weeks at this mission. And I was welcomed back with sincere and warming greetings, glad to see the familiar faces of my Liberian friends.
If there is anything I have learned so far, and I know is a major lesson of this whole summer (that I’m sure I’ve already mentioned before), is total surrender to the Lord. And this lesson seems to keep forcing itself upon me. I guess the Lord knows my stubbornness by now. To give the most recent example, I seem not to have the best luck with flights (those who flew with me to Mexico years back can attest), but I decided this time not to worry but just trust that the Lord will see me through.
And who’da thought, but it worked! No matter if it was the five hour delay out of Liberia or not getting picked up at the airport in Kenya, trusting that the Lord would take care of me gave me the peace to take it all in stride. And it all worked itself out fairly easily too.
Not only the logistics of the travel worked out, but the travel companions I made helped get me through as well. On the way to Kenya I met two nuns that were on their way to Ghana (one of whom teaches at the seminary there), and they definitely made the five hour delay move a lot faster. And on the way back I met a Catholic woman who was born and raised in Ghana, but is now a student at the University of Florida in Gainesville. I feel confident now that by the end of my stay here I will find all of the Floridians in West Africa.
My time spent back has already been challenging for me spiritually, though. Not only the longing for home now that Bob is back and my end is in sight, but in a positive way too. I feel that these last three weeks will really test me and allow me the opportunity to look back on my past and forward to my future given the present I now find myself in.
I recently read a quote from Mother Theresa after she had been asked to pray for someone’s clarity. She replied by saying, “I’ve never had clarity and certitude. I only have trust. I’ll pray that you trust.” I stopped after reading this, realizing that clarity is exactly what I had been praying for. I then took this quote to prayer and began to discover the true extent that we are asked to trust. God never promised us certainty, but we are asked to keep our gaze focused on the Lord and to trust, or else we are bound to sink as Peter did attempting to walk on the water.
So for my remaining weeks I will keep my eyes focused, and I will pray not for clarity and certitude, but for greater faith and trust. And I ask for your continued prayer as I continue praying for you all. Also, I hope you all have the opportunity to harass Bob about his experiences while he is home…I know he would love that!
-Dan
written 07/29/11
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