While We Are Waiting

I thought our friends would appreciate this article written for the Northridge newsletter by one of our wonderful volunteers who helped with packing the container, Norman Carr:

DRUG RUNNING CAN BE A GOOD THING
Can I get an Amen? Somebody? Anybody?

The National Drug Intelligence Center considers Interstate 35 between Kansas City and Wichita one of the most active overland routes for drug transportation in the United States, so I wasn’t surprised when a rack of flashing lights pierced the stormy Flint Hills sky. The highway patrol officer’s lights weren’t flashing for me this time.
A few minutes later, another patrolman’s lights burst through the grayness. He, too, chased after someone else. Relieved, I entertained myself by the thought of the patrolman humming, "This Little Light of Mine," every time he turned on those spinning beacons that sent terror into the minds of drivers.
"Good thing it wasn’t us," I said to my passenger as I watched the action play out in my rearview mirror. "Yeah," he said, "We’d have some explaining to do." He referred to our truckload of drugs we had picked up in a seedy, beaten down part of Kansas City.
Surprised that a normal looking, mild mannered guy seated in the pew next to you has such a past? My story is not so unique: Due to a lack of supervision, I fell in with a certain crowd and the next thing I know I’m jamming gears and running drugs.
As a young retiree, I lack supervision because my wife goes to work and leaves me home alone during the day. I got mixed up with the Friends of Kibimba Hospital, a "crowd" that partners with Burundi Yearly Meeting to provide medical and spiritual healing in one of the world’s most desperate national healthcare systems.
By providence and a string of small miracles, Hospitals of Hope (HOH), a Christian medical relief organization, channeled skids of donated medications — $300,000 worth — to Friends of Kibimba Hospital. (Now would be an appropriate time to give your Amen!) Don Losew, also unsupervised during the day, and I volunteered to drive HOH’s truck to Kansas City and collect the generous donation.
A dedicated crew of volunteers spent several hours loading the medications and tons of hospital equipment into a 40-ft. container. It shipped to Burundi on April 29. Fran Sigley, with other volunteers, now waits in Burundi for delivery, but ever-so-common obstacles in that part of the world have delayed the shipment. They need our prayers.
Northridge has a rich heritage of mission involvement, but we are not resting on past efforts. Today, we have a commendable team of young missionaries in various stages of their careers, countless youths and adults with short-term mission experiences, and former parishioners growing a new congregation. With determination, our light brightly shines. Even normal-looking, mild-mannered folks in the home pews have many and varied opportunities, such as stuffing Africa-bound crates, to help light the world.
Our commitment is evident by the inclusion of the flame symbol in our logo that represents sharing Jesus. Our flame has much in common with a Burundi proverb: Where there is love there is no darkness. As Christians, we know who dispels the darkness. In John 8:12, Jesus says, "I am the Light of the world." Knowing this, His followers have another opportunity to give an Amen!