Some Things Are More Important Than Running

The good news is that I’m not too proud to apologize for not posting in over a week. The bad news is that things won’t be getting better for a few more weeks.

I have not run for the last week and a half. Some things in life are more important than running. For the next couple of weeks I will be involved in one of those things.

This post has nothing to do with running. It’s full of pastorly stuff. If you decide not to read further there will be no hard feelings.

Last summer a local pastor invited Pamela and me to dinner with a couple of other pastors and their wives. He and his wife were hosting two pastors from Tanzania who were in the States for a conference. They stopped by for a visit. He thought it might be interesting for our American pastor’s coffee group to spend the evening learning what it’s like to be a pastor in that African nation.

To say that the experience was interesting is an understatement. I could never have anticipated where that evening of conversation would lead.

We learned that the average Tanzanian family lives on an income of only a few hundred dollars a year. The pastors are bi-vocational and most farm small plots of land to supply their family’s needs. They cannot afford formal training in seminary. Distances between churches often leave pastors feeling isolated and alone.

Our host is the son of retired missionaries to Tanzania. Having grown up there it’s not surprising that he has a heart for the people. In subsequent weeks he and my other two colleagues began to consider how our small group might help and encourage Tanzanian pastors half a world away.

They began to envision holding a pastor’s conference to provide a week of encouragement and training for our Tanzanian counter parts. They wanted the pastor’s wives to be included. Each couple’s transportation and living expenses for the week would have to be provided in order for them to participate. My friends determined this was something they wanted to accomplish.

I was skeptical that this could be pulled off and doubted that I would be a good candidate for such an undertaking. My friends hounded me to apply for a passport just in case the dream became reality. There seemed to be wisdom in that admonishment. So I did (even managed to take a fairly respectable photo).

My friends are men of great faith. Everything needed for the conference and more has been supplied. I’ve been amazed at what our five churches (a non-pastor type guy is the 5th member of our group) are accomplishing as we work together.

So to make a long story short (well at least shorter), Thursday I will board a plane and begin a 17 day trip to Africa. Developing teaching plans to be translated into Swahili has occupied the past several weeks. The preparation curve has been pretty steep.

Further time has been required to pack appropriately for this kind of trip. Where we’re going you can’t just pop down to a local Wal-Mart store for things you’ve forgotten. There's little or no internet connection so I won't be posting until my return.

I don’t know what the weeks ahead hold. A trip like this can’t help but change one’s perspective on life in unanticipated ways. I fully expect that we will receive more from this venture than we’ll give. The best teaching always comes from those who are themselves teachable. I anticipate that our learning curve will be steeper than the preparation curve.

Though we speak different languages and are the products of different cultures we share a common humanity. If man is made in the image of God then the things we hold in common are greater than the differences that distinguish us.

I think it’s possible that a healthier diet will be consumed there than in the States. Less fat. Less sugar.

Getting there isn’t easy. We fly several hours north before tackling back to back nine hour flights. That’s followed by a six hour bus ride and I’m guessing a good case of jet lag. We return to the states on a Saturday evening around 9 p.m. and I’m scheduled to preach the next morning. I wonder how that’s going to work.

My camera will be packed. Before we return to the States a three day Safari through the Serengeti is scheduled. I hope to supply some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Running shoes also will be packed. I don’t know how much time will be available for that. But a long post about a short run in Africa would still be cool.

Would it not?