Sleep when you get home!

One evening a few friends were getting together for dinner and a movie and I was invited along. On the menu was a traditional Namibian meal of mahangu. Mahangu is a fine millet ground into flour and used to make a thick loaf of porridge. Guests share from a community loaf and with their hands pull off a hunk of mahangu, roll it into a ball, dip it in a flavoring sauce, and then eat. This is a typical Namibian meal because it is inexpensive and a crop easily grown in the dry environment. While, honestly, mahangu must be an acquired taste, this is definitely an experience you would never have in the States.

Cross-cultural experiences will provide countless opportunities for you to try new things. From eating new foods to befriending new people, the adventures are endless. When faced with these opportunities you can either engage them to the fullest, or shy away into your own little comfort zone. But remember what we’ve learned from the past few discussions: the greater the adjustment needed, the greater the tension, and thus the greater the learning opportunity. Based on that equation, I cannot encourage you enough to take full advantage of every new cultural experience you have the opportunity to pursue!

On one of my first trips to Namibia our team developed a catch phrase which still rings in my mind today: Sleep when you get home! Obviously that doesn’t mean spend your entire two week mission trip without a wink of sleep. On the contrary, you need to be rested enough to be alert and involved in all our daily activities. Rather it’s simply a way of saying, ‘Take full advantage of every opportunity afforded you.’ When you return from your trip will you be more satisfied for taking in the beautiful new scenery or for taking a nap on that 3 hour van ride? Will you more regret having that late-night conversation or passing it up to get a little more sleep? The opportunities for relationship and conversation, even with your own team members, could be among the most deep and impactful experiences you have on this trip. This simple phrase just means we’re only there for a few weeks. Don’t miss out on the opportunities right in front of you. You’ll have plenty of time to sleep when you get home.

But after returning from one such trip I came to a startling realization. Even though I was back in America, I still wasn’t home. Paul says “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil 3:19). Peter calls us “aliens and strangers in the world” (1 Pet 2:11). For me, ‘sleep when you get home’ took on a further, eternal meaning because everyday I will be faced with opportunities to share God’s love and the Gospel of Christ with people around me, but will I be too caught up in my own comfort to take advantage of these opportunities?? When I get to heaven will I more regret the conversations I didn’t have and the missed opportunities to serve and love people, or losing a few extra zzz’s or vacation days? Our culture has come to love its sleep and rest. But we’re only here for a short time so by all means, take advantage of every opportunity! Sleep when you get home!