Airport Reflections

Dear Beloved Readers,

Welcome back. After five weeks hiatus, I am at it again. I write this from the Detroit McNamara airport during the last hour that I spend in the United States in 2007. It is strange to be here again, waiting for another flight. Its seems like Rwanda was a year away.

This is probably because I have been so busy; I lied when I called it a hiatus. I worked two jobs as a lifeguard and a busboy, while trying to find time to spend with my family, local friends and Joye. This included a day trip to Cedar Point, camping at a local state park and going out to eat at my favorite restaurants. I also went down to lovely Alma College to catch up with professors and my college friends. Though this kept me busy, especially since I was constantly preparing for Rome, it was a warm welcome back home.

But soon after catching up, it was time to depart again, though I found this significantly easier than before. This may be because I am getting used to it, or perhaps because, especially with my college friends, it was hardly as if I had been there at all. With my loved ones, using webcams to periodically communicate and the promise of seeing them all in December makes for gentle separation as well. However, I also suspect that it was less difficult because, until now, my brain had yet to fully accept the reality of this internship and the fact that I was living on my own in an enchanting foreign city.

I have always wanted to go to Rome, the Eternal City, and I hope it treats me well. A thousand plus years of history lies dormant underneath every street, and it is up to me to awaken it from its slumber. I long to taste its food and bask in its autumn heat, though I doubt I will experience such this week due to a couple major setbacks. Aside from my inability to speak Italian, I also have no long-term residence. After hearing stories of internet scams and noticing that ninety percent of internet sales have no accompanying pictures, I decided to arrive in Rome a week before my internship to search for an apartment. The State Department assured me that this was a good idea, though I naturally have my reservations. Reservations at a hostel, that is, for the first four days, at least. Though anxious to find a home, I truly trust that God will provide me a shelter.

In fact, I really do not know much about what lies ahead, and my faith has certainly been my backbone as of late. I know where I will be working, the U.S. Mission to the U.N. Agencies for Agriculture (USUN) in Rome, though I have little ideas of what my day-to-day duties will be. I know who I will be working with, and that they have offered to help me find an apartment, but I have little idea of what they are like or if they will keep their word. And I know that I will have a ride from the airport to my hostel by a gentleman named Franco, but I will struggle to find my way around the city afterward. But I do know that the Lord God is my Savior and Refuge, that He will protect me and comfort me, even in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and therefore, I refuse to be afraid. That is what makes this experience an enjoyable adventure.

Well, my flight is finally boarding; we have already been delayed quite a bit. I probably should tend to the men’s room one last time. By the time I am able to post this, I will either be in Amsterdam or Rome. Please keep me in your prayers. I will leave you with this: the lyrics to the song that God and I wrote in Rwanda. I think its my favorite.


Les Collins Milles
Written Through: James E. Allen IV

Verse 1:
Poor Rwanda, how long will the past seem to haunt ya,
When everywhere you look you’re told never again,
Will you forget what happened back then?

Sad Rwanda, do you wonder if God ever found ya?
Or do you wonder if God’s like the rest of the world,
And He turned his back on you? Turned his back on you…

CHORUS:
Les Collins Milles*
The Land of a Thousand Hills
All clotted with blood
All eroding in floods of the rain
Les Collins Milles
Rwanda, there’s always hope still
Imana** be praised
Let the broken be raised from their pain

Verse 2:
Distant neighbors, is it difficult to share the same Savior,
When one heals from sorrow and the other from guilt,
In a town still being rebuilt?

Broken Christians, do you doubt if the Lord ever listens,
When you were raped in the church where your family died,
And now you’re not far behind? No now you’re not far behind…

Bridge 1:
Tears and fears mix like dust on the skin,
It can be engrained, but will never sink in,
Where it can’t be washed away,
Like our sins, be washed away…

CHORUS

And you’ve begun to forgive,
Just as Jesus did,
Before He yelled,
“My God, my God”…

Verse 3:
Fallen people, we’ve gathered now under the steeple,
And we fall on our knees, and pray God if you’d please,
Let good come out of this wrong.

So Cain and Abel, God’s asked us to share the same table,
We’ve been swindled by sin, but are still welcomed in,
To His fortified stronghold where death never wins.

Bridge 2:
So can you trust in the Lord when your world falls apart,
When humanity’s brokenness breaks your own heart?
Can you rise up this new day?
The risen Sun brings a new day… for…

CHORUS x 2

Amen.

* This French phrase is purposely grammatically incorrect in order to complete the rhyme. The proper order, “Les Milles Collins”, means “A Thousand Hills” and also refers to the true name of the hotel in the movie Hotel Rwanda.
** The word “Imana” means God in Kinyarwanda, the native and most widely spoken language in Rwanda.

God bless and thank you for reading!