Chronicles

Chronicles – the telling of life’s stories. I imagine if we ever bothered to collect and catalog our individual, unique stories we would have no need for fiction; we would have endless entertainment at the expense of ourselves.
I wonder at times what my life story would look like if written down to this point in the adventure. One theme, that I am sure would emerge is displacement. My life has been filled with displacement, sometimes of my own choosing and other times out of necessity. Displacement has shaped who I am in so many ways. I view the world through the lens of collided continents, tangled traditions and forgotten identity; through poverty, war, educational elitism, affluential idealism, and simplistic faith. My most feared question is, “where are you from”, and I am particularly fond of international airports such as Heathrow, Amsterdam and Dubai because there, more than anywhere else, I can see the worlds I know smashing into each other with paradoxal ease.
Displacement has also led me to place little value on material objects. There are those items I possess which hold sentimental value mostly for their association with one time of displacement or another but generally speaking I don’t take great stock in the things I own. I would be far more upset if someone stole my journal than if someone stole my camera or computer.
I am once again on the verge of yet another displacement and it is, as always, a time of reflection on what I have learned from my time here and on the uncertainties that lie ahead. I sometimes struggle to know what my role is supposed to be in places like this and in Congo, where I am headed. What I have been reminded of lately is that wherever I am, I am called to Act Justly, Love Mercy and Walk Humbly with my God. This is not always easy, but it is certainly a benchmark by which to gauge the work that I do. I pray that what I do reflects Jesus.

I leave Sudan tomorrow and will spend several days in Kenya before flying home to Entebbe for several days. Next week I will then head off to the Democratic Republic of Congo for a new set of challenges and adventures. Please keep me in your prayers.