A Race Worth Running

Shades made possible curtsy of Mama! 

Yesterday I was reminded of what it was like to be a kid again.

I remember being a pre-teen,

and living on Aqueduct lane,

and my little sister Danae got new shoes,

She was probably six or seven,

and the whole way home from the store

she was telling me how much faster she was now

that she had these new shoes.

As a teenager I remember being in this awkward stage

of knowing your right

and making sure that your little siblings know you are,

because well your bigger than them

and clearly it means you are smarter.

So as we pull up to our house we decide to race.

Her being six or seven and me being eleven or twelve.

Clearly I knew who was going to win.

So as we decided to race around the cul-de-sac

and back to our house as we raced and came to the

last little stretch I’m sure being that age I beat her

just to prove my point.

But if I was given the opportunity to redo

I would let her win and keep that child-like faith.

Even if her faith is in her new shoes.

So yesterday when we went to our sports ministry,

we were met at the base of this hilly mountain

by a 12 year old boy named Michael.

So as we walked about 25 yards up this mountain I look to my left

and here comes Aimable our translator

jogging up the hill so I start mimicking him

and jogging at the same speed up the hill

then Michael starts to run with us.

As we run it turns into a race and we are trying,

as best we can to run up this mountain.

My lungs give in and I surrender first.

We stand and wait for the team to catch up.

As we do this my lungs recover

and I look at Michael and say “twoginday”,

which means lets go!!

We race up this mountain

and do this four or five more times

where we wait for the team

and my old lungs get a chance to recover!!

I think they aren’t used to changing altitudes anymore!!

As I do this I cant help but laugh

because we are “running” through a residential area

so people are coming out of their house

and cracking up at this Mazungu that’s running up the hill!

I also love the simplicity of being childlike.

Friendships are created over playing and having fun.

So while Michael and I couldn’t communicate

we still got to laugh

the whole race up the mountain

while I spoke my few words I knew in his language.

As we arrived at the top of this mountain

we are surrounded by an amazing view

and I am caught in awe of how big our God is

and how good He is!!

And how much i treasure this little race we had!!!

The View and the school/church we are working with!!