Red dirt fills the air as I dismount my ride. Stepping onto the dusty street, I feel eyes on me from all sides. People stare in general astonishment at my appearance once again. Sweat glistens on my forehead as I make my way toward the Saloon. Walking inside, Im greeted by an array of faces, mostly giving me an off-tilt grin. Stepping behind the high table, I’m poured a steaming fresh drink and given an escort….. While it delights me to be able to describe my every Wednesday business with great accuracy and a Western flare, I should back up and give some context. In the corner of Africa I live in, hair salons are called saloons. Every Wednesday, I take a trip to a small shop called the Renew Saloon to teach the bible to a group of ten young women. People are not used to seeing white women in the village despite the routine trips made to this location. My ride, while not a horse, certainly has horsepower. While cars are nice, it is easier to travel in these parts by motorcycles, which we call ‘bodas.’ The steamy hot drink you ask; that would be hot tea, customarily in the mid-morning, which is always served with a snack known commonly as escort.
I guess the moral of this story is that wherever you find yourself in the world to someone else, it's a grand adventure, maybe even like a scene from a movie. What happens to make mine great, though, is that God called me here, and I get to serve Him in the most unexpected ways. I wonder what great adventure God is calling you to.