Playlist

Every good road trip needs a playlist. That’s why Caroline suggested that each one of the six of us pick one secular and one Christian song. Once we got in the car, the song suggestions were coming so fast that Taylor’s Apple Music couldn’t download quick enough.

It was only about an hour to our destination, but you know what, that’s a road trip by Africa standards. What was most impressive was that all six of us - five nurses and a doctor - all managed to get the same day off! That alone was reason enough for a road trip. 

Let’s call it a girls day out actually. The six of us started at 5 am by climbing the water tower at the hospital, backpacks loaded with jars of hot coffee, to watch the sunrise from the highest point on the horizon. Afterwards, we ordered egg sandwiches (a local favorite) and then motoed (just realized that is not a real English word, but we use it all the time; meaning the act of riding one’s moto) to the hippo pond where we munched on egg sandwiches while watching a family of thirty-two hippos do what hippos do. 

Since this day was technically a national holiday - May Day or Worker’s day - the next activity of the day was to walk into town where we heard there was a parade. Here (I don’t know exactly how to explain this), we just happened to walk up on it and end up in it. As different groups of workers were passing by with their organizations and associations, we saw a large group of people from our hospital on motos - beeping, honking, hooping, and hollering all the way. So when they drove by, we just jumped on the backs of motos and cruised through town in the parade. 

All of that and it was only 10am! You can do a lot in a day when you start at 5, apparently. Since it was now mid morning, we decided we better hit the road since we had an hour to get to the cliffs where we had planned a picnic. After that, we toured some historical caves and then ended the day at a beautiful overlook. The very idea that got this whole thing started was that Taylor wanted to watch the sunset from the overlook and spend some time reading scripture and praying together. That was the springboard. The day trip, Parade, hippos, and playlist thing were all afterthoughts. 

I am incredibly insanely blessed to live with these women. Not every day of our lives is quite this action-packed and adventurous, but most days involve something of the sort. I will say that every day with them is a beautiful blend of fun and faith. Kind of like that playlist. 

My fondest memory of the whole trip was the time on the road with two in the front seat and four squished into the back, singing at the top of our lungs to both Is He Worthy and Love Story. Talking one minute about something totally ridiculous that makes us laugh until our sides cramp, and then the next minute talking about something so spiritually rich and deep that we are instantly strengthened. We make each other laugh and we help each other process life. Amazingly, we all have very different personalities and walks with Jesus, but yet we find ourselves in the same purposeful pursuit of him, and this is the place where we all meet up - in Christ. So while we are living in craziness, we also have stability. We are always laughing and making things light, yet we are also always digging in deep and spurring one another to know God more. 

I wish it would never end. In just one week, one of the girls in the house moves out and is going back to her home, a different and equally worthy mission field. In a couple weeks after that, two other girls will follow. Other gals will come and move into their rooms, I’m sure. Soon, it will be my turn to leave and be replaced. I’ll never share this season or this house with these same girls ever again, so we are all trying desperately to treasure the time.

I was reading Psalm 133 where it says how good and pleasant it is when brothers (or in this case, sisters) live together in unity and harmony. I don’t know about the whole oil running down the beard thing, but I do know that what I’m experiencing with these precious friends is a sweet taste of heaven on earth. We were made for this kind of unity and love in community, so it is no wonder that Jesus prayed in John 17 for the unity of believers. He even makes this crazy statement that if believers of Jesus would be unified, then the world would believe that he was the Son of God. I don’t know about you, but I long for that. 

And because of these few months in this house with these girls, and because of some other similar relationships that I’ve experienced, I believe it’s possible. I’ve tasted it, and it’s good. It feels like “eternity in our hearts”. 

So how do you do it? How do you find those friends? How do you create that unity? I’m not sure it’s something you create as much as it’s something you cultivate. And it’s not about finding it as much as it is about just being it. As you pursue Christ, you will find people who are pursuing him too. Then you inevitably find yourselves pursuing him together. It is entirely one hundred percent his presencein the relationship that makes it uniquely beautiful and holy. 

I keep wishing that this would last forever, but I keep reminding myself that it will. One day, the person that makes these relationships so wonderful will be with us face to face. If it’s so good even now, I can’t wait for the glory of what is to come.