The Missionary Position

Shamus....."I'm going to Zambia"

Person......."That's great!"

Person......"Wait. Where is Zambia and why are you going there"

Shamus......"I'm traveling with an organization that does charitable orthopedic surgery"

Person......." O, you mean a missions trip"

Shamus......."I guess?"

One way or another, almost every conversation I've had lately, ends up repeating this pattern. Allow me to be clear: I ain't no missionary.

I have found it amusing how people have instinctively classified my trip as a missions trip. Honestly, that phrase or thought never entered my mind when I committed to this trip.

                                                                   

                                           

                                                       Does that sound like me?

I don't believe God needs me to go to Zambia. I don't even think CURE needs me in Zambia.

They are both there already, have been for some time, and are doing a bang up job without me.

So then the question must be, why go? The answer for me, is painfully simple to the point of not making any sense.

The Answer: I am supposed to go. 

I have only experienced certainty like this one other time in my life. When we made our move from NYC to Lancaster, we were guided by things that are not of this world. Timing fell into place, jobs were made available, houses were bought and sold in perfect rhythm. To look back on that moment, had that specific job not been there for me, giving me this set of skills, there would be no Zambia trip to write about. When you experience things like this in life you don't ask questions. You just go. You do as you know you are meant to do. Some may call it fate. Some call it karma or good luck. Personally, all of those things are way too vague and leave far too much for me to mess up. I call it faith. Faith that my Creator has plans that should be carried out. Faith that my Creator is intentional. Faith that knows sometimes the smallest decisions matter most.

About two weeks ago I watched this eagle lay an egg via a live feed on the internet.

(not far from my house!)

This was a real time example of how purposeful life is.

Three years ago my dad brought this fish into the boat and I was privileged to hold it for a few seconds. You learn to appreciate the might of creation very quickly while holding something as magnificent as this.   

I believe these lives are created purposefully. They should be cared for and respected.

Doesn't the same hold true for the lives in this video?

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     from CURE Video on Vimeo.

It just so happens I know enough to participate in the procedure shown in this video. 

This does not make me better then you or smarter then you. It definitely does not make me a missionary.

Next time you see someone in need and your abilities can impact their life for the better, jump in.

Let's all not be missionaries together.