Legit Faithfulness

The exhaustion of today's events supplies me with a requirement to narrate some of the days events.

We began today with church (remember Friday is the holy day here). Led by TJ Stafford and his band, we crept into the holy of holies, only because God invited us. Indescribable. Such an appropriate song to spell out the truth of the day. But in spite of the impossibility true explanation, my pumping heart cannot hold all this excitement in.

While Travis preached at each service this week, 2 other members of our team would sneak away to fight the darkness trying to blanket our congregation. Kelly and I drew the 11:15 straws. Sometimes its fun to escape the confining social restrictions of the congregation. Like ninjas, we rolled up to the office to battle it out and rejoice with our Daddy. If the prayer time by itself was the only thing that happened today, it was well worth the lack of sleep.

But then we went to lunch with some super cool kids. Fun and fun, but the truly exhausting excitement found residence in the 107 degree heat of the Egyptian sun as we participated in the C.A.C. Grass Volleyball Tournament. CAC is the local American high school. Astounded by the irony, it was brought to our attention that in the States, we have a lot of grass, so we play sand volleyball. But in Egypt, we always have sand. Would fun would volleyball be if we only played it in our normal circumstances. In the spirit of mixing things up a bit, CAC grew some grass on it property or imported it or did something to create a lush and green field here in the arid awesomeness. So instead of playing sand volleyball, we played grass volleyball.

Keep reading. As our fearless leaders approached their opponents with false arrogance and party intensity, one of its members (who shall remain nameless for Dignity's sake) sacrificed his body in ways none of us would have begun to dare towards. He landed on the blunt end of a rope spike and tore a bit skin off his torso. That was not all that bad. Without delay we all soon realized that was not the only thing that lost some skin. The true damage sunk a bit lower. As all the men reading request that I type no more of this, I ask that you just hear me out for a few more simple sentences.

Our friend's manhood did survive, even with all the nerves and possible damage that could have been done, he then proceeded to an Egyptian hospital to go into surgery, just to make sure everything was still in working condition. Fear not, all is well, as much as any man could be after such an accident. So men, the next time you are in one of our favorite injury conversations, remember that some men truck through more than we ever want to fathom.

On top of the grace provided to his body, this valiant soul stopped to glory God's name even while under the anesthesia. That is my favorite part.

As he was under the unfortunate knife, the rest of us met and befriend a previous MCC youth pastor. This woman's story of adoption thrashed my heart out, and handed to the boy who was teaching me to slink along the floor as a powerful lion - king of the Egyptian flat. And he was the result of semi-adoption number two.

I did not hear all of the details of the beautifully gut-wrenching stories regarding the first orphan she mothered. That child had the "Simon Birch" disease. He died after only a few years with his brave mother. I recall her transition from the first child to the roaring lion beside me. She noted that at some point in the grieving process a congregation member inquired if she would ever do it again. As she tossed these uncautious words to the wind, she lived to laugh at God's favor: God would have to drop a child at my doorstep for me to do it again. A year later, He did. There was a knock on the door that opened to man holding the tiniest malnourished baby you could ever imagine. God said, its at your door step. So she laughingly cursed at God for his faithfulness in our ignorance.

My pouncing companion does not have a birth certificate. He does not have a residency in either Egypt or America. Essentially, the any official government, this child does not exist. He does not have an official identity. There is no legal way to get him one. But Caleb does not care. He spends his days with his obedient mother, as her mane man (spelling intentional, its a joke). She a single American woman living in Egypt mothering a "nonexistent" Egyptian child.

Words escape but so do tears. I'll take that trade.