Perspective

It's been nearly a week since I've returned from Tanzania.  I've told countless stories, shared pictures of our adventures, and relived the jourey a hundred times.  Yet with all that it seems like there's something I can't seem to share.  Something that's hard to put into words.  Africa has captured my heart and reawakened passions which I thought had died long ago.
 
I'm sure there are many who were on the trip who have called Africa a life changing experience. But I have a hard time using that term.  The journey to Africa opened my eyes to the disparity of the human soul, the poverty of the people, and yet amidst all that there was joy in the simply pleasures of life.  These past few days, I've needed to take a step back and look at my life, where I am, and where I'm going.  Africa is starting to open my eyes to the reality that my life is simply meaningless without God.  I look at what I have, the things I have done, the places I have gone. Nothing seems the same.  They used to shine bright and shimmer in the sun, but now it seems the clouds have cast a shadow over everything.  The beauty has vanished, what used to sparkle is now dulled by the clouds.  It's easy to enjoy life when the sun is shining. Everything is displayed in perfect color.  But when the clouds cover up the light, we start to notice that what we have isn't what we really need.  What we thought we wanted doesn't really fit.  but is this really a cloud that is covering up the light?  The sky is still blue.  The sun is still shining.  So what has changed?  I look at where I'm standing and then realize that when I took a step back, I also shifted just a little to the side.  I had changed my viewing angle by a fraction of a degree.  That's all it took.  What I'm left with now is a new point of view on my old life.  A new point of view on where I've been.
 
Africa changed my perspective.  It's letting me see things that were there before.  The new angle has brought a new path to light that was hidden before.  It took me a while to realize it, but the t-shirts for our Africa team represented my life: below the surface.  I've been living the way I've wanted for so long, ignoring the call God has on my life, living below the surface.  Is the call Africa?  Is the call something more than my current life? Or is my calling the life I'm living right now? We've been commanded to go into all he world to share Christ.  Is this where I've been sent without even knowing it.  Has God put me in this place at this time to do His will? Too many times I think we ask too many questions. 
 
The journey to Africa is not over yet.  It's transforming into the journey of my life.  Africa opened my eyes to a new perspective and now it's my turn to make the choice.  it's my turn to change.  It's my turn to make Africa my life changing experience.