HOME!

“Home is where the heart is.”  Pliny the Elder

“There’s no place like home.”  Dorothy Gale

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.”  Lin Yutang

Home.  After nearly two weeks in faraway Singapore and Indonesia, I arrived back in the United States, Michigan, and Nashville.  While there, I had an incredible chance to minister to people and leaders who in turn will take the timeless message of God’s love through-out S.E. Asia.  It always stirs my heart to be around passionate people who want to make a difference for God.  Ten of our group were headed back to their homes in mainland communist China where persecution of the church has again intensified.  The majority were going back to their homes across Muslim Indonesia where being a Christian is suspect and in some cities and provinces, a target of hatred.

As the conference in Jakarta came to a conclusion, we all hugged and took pictures – knowing that this short time together was a gift from God.  A once in-a-lifetime gathering of this particular group of people, never to be repeated this side of heaven.  There were tears, laughter, well wishes, and words of encouragement.  And then it was over, everyone drifting off toward home.

That last night in Jakarta I thought about home.  I missed our church, our food, our customs, our smells, our television, our way of driving, our stores, and our flag.  But most of all, I missed you – family, church, friends, and coffee-mates.  I missed your smiles, your voices, your stories, your laughter, your friendship, your love, and your co-ministry for the Kingdom of God (our eternal home).

After traveling for an entire day, I was in my booth at the local coffee shop back home. I smiled and had teary eyes as I thought about my earthly home and all of you.  What a joy to have people that you care about and want to minister to and with.  While I cannot make the promise of the following quote, I can surely feel the emotion and share the sentiment that is expressed.

“Oh, but anyway, Toto, we’re home – home!  And this is my room – and you’re all here – and I’m not going to leave here ever, ever again, because I love you all!  And … oh, Auntie Em, there’s no place like home!”  Dorothy Gale