In case you missed it, five young men, Dr. Jack Porter, and I went to West Africa not too long ago. I have so much to say about it that I've decided to break the blogs into a series of reflections. Today, I'll begin the saga with a look back.
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| African lore reports that the baobab tree was once the most beautiful in the world, bearing delicious fruit. But the baobab grew too proud so God plucked it up, turned the baobab upside down, and stuck it back in the ground, revealing just the roots where beauty used to be. |
When I was in high school, I was certain I had everything figured out. While I'm sure that's an uncommon experience for teenagers (see: all pop culture, ever), I had it bad. I had been given a gift with words and an inquisitive brain...and developed a HUGE ego. My success didn't help the matter: I was selected over and over for leadership positions and seminars. I got to go to the World Leadership Congress and Boys Nation, where I met President George W. Bush, Senator Barack Obama, and several other dignitaries. With all of this worldly experience, I had long decided that my path was through undergraduate studies to law school to a career in international law. I prepared myself early, following politics and learning what I could from interning or working part-time for law firms. I began to learn French, the commerce and colonial language for much of West Africa. It was my dream to transform (single-handed, of course) the continent from barely-developing countries into an empowered people, protected by strong courts and well-constructed Governments.
I was pretty high on myself, but such a big head lends itself to becoming top-heavy. Through a series of rebellious and frankly stupid decisions, I ruined my academic career and impregnated my girlfriend. It didn't stop with high school, either. A window of grace opened up, providing me with a full scholarship to Henderson State University, where I ended my first semester with a GPA barely above 1.5. So long, law school. So long, Africa. I had been plucked up, turned upside-down, and planted head-first back in the ground.
Finally, under the influence of that same girlfriend (who almost two years ago became my wife) and by the grace of God, I broke down, straightened up, and (with a few more bumps along the road) submitted to following the will of my Savior. Last May my son, my wife, and I welcomed our daughter, Emily, into the world. For those of you doing the math, that's 10 months after we were married, thank you very much. In December I finished my B.A. in Political Science. When we decided that law school was not a practical path for our family to take, it was honestly heartbreaking. How would I make a difference to people without access to the courts? After college, though, I've found my calling helping people through my work as a Funeral Director at Caruth-Hale.
Not too long ago, a friend let me know that the church was looking for young men to go to Africa for 10 days. The trip would be subsidized so that we could afford to go. Isn't it the perfect picture of His grace that, even through so much rebellion, even in a still-imperfect package, he would provide a way for me to go and build a Kingdom in Africa? In so doing, He was building a Kingdom in me.
Be on the lookout for more segments. Next up: "Reflections on Africa: Painting the Cracks"
