We’re Baaaaack!
Our week in Guatemala was a truly amazing experience. The more I leave the comfort zone of my controllable surroundings and venture into the great-beyond of the rest of God’s creation, the more I realize how vast, diverse, and glorious God’s world and plan truly are. A 5:30 AM airport arrival for TSA/Homeland Security baggage check is always an adventure, especially when you are carrying-on water filtration components.
As my carry-on went through security-screening X-Ray, a flurry of airport employees assembled to greet its exit from the machine. “This your bag?” “Yes sir.” “What you got in there?” “Carbon water filters and ozonator bulbs.” “Looks just like pipe bombs to us, so we’re going to take a closer look.” “Okay.”
As the entire contents of my bag were dumped onto a table, I suddenly realized that the pound of Hawaiian coffee I had purchased from my favorite hometown barista as a gift for our Guatemalan host might trigger an additional search for hidden drugs. Agents scrutinized each filter, bulb and box, being careful to swab every crevice for explosive residue. Once the swabs produced negative bomb-residue results in the TSA scanning equipment, I was allowed to re-pack my bag and proceed.
Thus began a week-long journey in mission that also served as a lifelong lesson in appreciation and letting go. I once saw a bumper sticker that read: Life is what happens while you are making other plans. This was definitely a week of “life.”
© 2009 Todd Jenkins
Our week in Guatemala was a truly amazing experience. The more I leave the comfort zone of my controllable surroundings and venture into the great-beyond of the rest of God’s creation, the more I realize how vast, diverse, and glorious God’s world and plan truly are. A 5:30 AM airport arrival for TSA/Homeland Security baggage check is always an adventure, especially when you are carrying-on water filtration components.
As my carry-on went through security-screening X-Ray, a flurry of airport employees assembled to greet its exit from the machine. “This your bag?” “Yes sir.” “What you got in there?” “Carbon water filters and ozonator bulbs.” “Looks just like pipe bombs to us, so we’re going to take a closer look.” “Okay.”
As the entire contents of my bag were dumped onto a table, I suddenly realized that the pound of Hawaiian coffee I had purchased from my favorite hometown barista as a gift for our Guatemalan host might trigger an additional search for hidden drugs. Agents scrutinized each filter, bulb and box, being careful to swab every crevice for explosive residue. Once the swabs produced negative bomb-residue results in the TSA scanning equipment, I was allowed to re-pack my bag and proceed.
Thus began a week-long journey in mission that also served as a lifelong lesson in appreciation and letting go. I once saw a bumper sticker that read: Life is what happens while you are making other plans. This was definitely a week of “life.”
© 2009 Todd Jenkins
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