Entry Fifty Five: Zimbabwe

Things have been going so well. My mission team left LAX on time and we enjoyed the flight to Dubai. We traveled on a tricked out Boeing 777-200. They had new screens behind each seat with 1200 channels and 120 movie selections along with games and trivia. There were also some pretty cool lighting effects built into the ceiling of the plane, which were turned on during the night when everyone fell asleep. I was really worried the plane ride would be full full of mindless boredom but I occupied the time with three great movies and some bible reading. I brought books along too but thankfully those weren't needed.

When we arrived in Dubai I was just amazed at how large the airport was. The airports baggage claim room was probably about the same size and height as New York Union Station. Everything was also air conditioned, because the outdoor temperature was 120F. When all of us walked outside the heat hit us like a brick wall. When we reached the exit we waited for a shuttle to take us to the hotel. Our hotel was fairly nice, I believe it was a 4 star. Me and Andrew shared and room, david and adam shared a room, the girls shared a room and Jeff slept by himself.  The hotel was clean, the food was good, and it was so nice being able to shower after such a long plane ride.

After leaving Dubai it was another 10 hour flight to Zimbabwe. We had a small stop about an hour out of Zimbabwe to re-fuel and pick up/drop off some passengers. I was really worried about masquitoes but when we arrived there was almost none. This is nothing like what I have seen on TV. For the most part everyone looks healthy, eats well, and dresses well. I mean for a third world country life looked pretty livable. Although I wasnt able to see much, because we arrived at night. The only thing that really really stood out on the drive to our living space was an odd smell in the air. It only existed near and inside the city. 

We had a great experience spending time with the children inside the village and school we visited and worked at. Home stays were a blast too! For the most part we were all met with happy smiles from everyone we happened to see. Spending time with the people was just such a joy. Seeing their lives be so peaceful, yet so harsh, and so unexplainable different then ours. Painting their class rooms gave them as much confidence, self respect, honor, and ambition as say buying someone here a BMW. I was quiet surprised to see the impact we made at the end of our trip. When we did our debrief a lot of positive feedback was given, even though it didn't feel like we were doing much.

Being home has been strange. Looking at my neihborhood, the perfectly green yards, the beautifully looking painted homes, the crisp black asfault that was just re-poured. The block looks so lovely, and its hard to love it. I learned to enjoy a new culture with people who don't live in the same picture perfect infrastructure. And now, sitting in my room seeing this wonderland looking neighborhood is painful. There is no adventure, the void inside my chest is just becoming larger and larger as the minutes pass. The chills of sleeping in a room with spiders and going into a town with malaria, the thrill of being next to animals which could kill you in seconds.... can not be compared with this place.

Yet, I can not see either world with partiality in mind. Both have their quirks and tales.