It’s Over! (But Really It Has Yet To Begin)

So orientation is done. In fact it’s been done. Since Thursday afternoon actually. And yet you may have noticed that I’ve yet to write a post wrapping it all up. There’s a good reason for that: it’s a hard thing to do. We’ve spent the past seven weeks learning about doctrine, missiology, culture, culture shock, the various diseases we’ll get, personalization, language acquisition, storying, discipleship, church planting, history, things that are giant, worldviews, security, insurance, and probably some other things but they aren’t coming to me right now. We’ve been taught by experienced missionaries, the Bible, each other, and some weirdos from Idaho. We’ve laughed together, grown together, played basketball and volleyball together, played in the snow together, learned together, lost sleep together, and eaten 5 or 6 reincarnations of a meal together. We’ve built some of the greatest friendships you could hope for and become one big family that by and large won’t ever see one another again until the end has come. In many ways I’m glad it’s all over, but I wish I could bring everyone with me.

The biggest thing I got out of orientation is that I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. Funny that you spend 7 weeks learning what you’re going to be doing only to walk away with no idea. In fact going in I thought I had a good idea of what I was doing, by halfway through I knew I didn’t have a clue, and by the end I realized that that’s ok. Understand I’ve got a vastly greater understanding of what I’m doing than I had seven weeks ago (you didn’t fail me, Uncle Elbert, I swear), but the more I’ve learned the more I realize how much more there is to learn still. Oh how blessed I am, how blessed we all are, to have a God who knows exactly what’s going on and exactly what He’s doing, who is at work in and through us to accomplish His purposes, because as long as I let Him be in charge and as long as I follow His direction it doesn’t matter how clueless I am.

Now less than 2 weeks to go and it’s off to Uganda. It’s difficult to believe that it’s coming so soon, in part because it’s still somewhat difficult to believe that it’s actually happening. I look forward with great anticipation to being involved in the work God is doing amongst the people of Uganda and pray that you will continue to follow me on my journey and continue to support me in prayer. Just because you aren’t called to come with me doesn’t mean it can’t be your journey too.