Potholes

Standing in line in Dubai ready to get our tickets, my brother, Nate, talked to the Emirates ticket representative. She was from Nairobi and was impressed to hear Nate was doing humanitarian work with an orphanage in Kisumu. So she upgraded all our tickets to business class! We arrived in Nairobi, refreshed and encouraged at God’s blessing. 
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As we prepared to fly to our next destination, Kisumu, it became clear that we would be heavily taxed for our excess baggage. Nate suggested we drive to Kisumu and save expenses. Because this would give us a better opportunity to see the countryside and save money we all agreed. Thus began a grand adventure.

The road to Kisumu starts out on a new highway. We passed over an 8,000 foot shelf that overlooked the famous Great Rift Valley and not much later a herd of wild zebras. But soon the sun set and the road changed. Suddenly, the road was a maze of never-ending ruts, holes and craters. Nicholas, our driver, lurched from side to side dodging as many holes as he could. Buses, cars and trucks came past us, often barely missing us and throwing the blinding high beams at us as if to say, “Get out of my way!” The smell of exhaust fumes and plumes of dust filled the van in symphony with bottom-jarring bumps and twists that made sleep impossible. Hour after hour slowly churned and the “five” hour drive was now over seven. In 48 years of travel, the road to Kisumu assumed first place as the mother of potholes. Somehow after midnight, we pulled into YGC Orphanage, with our axels still intact and our spirits still motivated.
 
Meditation
Acts 28:19,20—Because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar; it was not as though I had any accusation against my nation. For this reason I’ve asked to see you and speak to you. In fact, it is for the hope of Israel that I’m wearing this chain.
 
The Apostle Paul could have escaped a sentence that left him under house arrest in Rome. But instead of taking the easy road of acquittal at the hands of a sympathetic court he appealed to Caesar. He chose the road of “potholes” to reach Italy, a nation in which he knew God wanted him to minister. Paul was never one to dwell on the condition of the road but rather the destination.

By taking the rutted road to Kisumu and not the plane, we experienced a great joy. The money we saved in great part allowed us to purchase a welding machine and a generator for YGC Orphanage. The welding machine will enable the staff at YGC to avoid renting a machine. Second, they can train some of the older orphans to become welders, thus giving them a trade skill. The generator will allow the school to operate on days when there are power outages (a frequent occurrence). It will also keep their internet café open so that they have a steady source of revenue.
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Praise God for potholes! Sometimes the road home takes twists we didn’t expect. Sometimes the road is rough for a reason. But on the journey, if our hearts are right to serve God, He turns even the worst bumps into opportunities—something to think about . . . in reveration.
 
Inspiration
God grant we may get to the place where discouragement is as impossible to us as it was to the Lord Jesus. The one dominant note of His life was the doing of His Father’s will.—Oswald Chambers inRun Today’s Race
 
©2007 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)