Home again | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Home again | Previous Challenge Entry
By Millicent Njue
11/24/08
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

It had been 7 years spent in what Josh considered a land he had come to love as his own. Memories of what life used to be like back home kept him hopeful that he would be rejoined with his family some day. The daily flight of fantasy to the times that he would spend with his beloved served to keep him aglow with hope. But he had to fulfill his mission in this place where his daily efforts were much needed and appreciated.

He hadn’t given much thought to what appeared to be a noble cause that day when he had been approached to represent his church in a missionary tour to Africa. The stories he had read of suffering and lack had led him to take up the offer without much thought. He had felt obligated to do something, however little to help ease the suffering he had only read about. After getting some much needed guidelines on what to expect when he landed, he had felt that he was ready to take up the appointment. Yet nothing prepared him for what he found there.

Josh had taken some time to bid his family and friends farewell and managed to elicit some pats on his back for the heroic step he had decided to take. He had wondered what the big fuss was all about; after all he was just visiting a foreign country where he would spend time doing what he was trained to do. He loved being a Doctor and helping ease other people’s pain and suffering. Still, he had not imagined the magnitude of what awaited him ahead.

The flight had been uneventful and he was grateful when the plane landed finally. However, he could not help but notice the remoteness of the place from the start. It took him some time to get accustomed to his new surroundings but was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome that he was accorded there. It seemed like he was really needed there from the looks on the people’s faces there.

The long ride into the mountain ranges introduced him to his new environment. He looked around as he was driven by into a remote village that had been ravaged by war. He couldn’t help but notice the young children who stood by the roadside waving to him as he was driven by. It was then that the enormity of what lay ahead of him had begun to sink in.

The years seemed to fly as Josh was so busy taking care of injured people, others who needed medical attention so badly. He woke up early each day and was surprised that he had even managed to adapt to the new way of life. Lacking in so much of what had earlier been necessary but still able to make a difference in the people’s lives. The thankful looks and the restoration of health was enough of a reward for his efforts. With time he had gotten used to the people who he now considered his own.

Then the letter had come. He read with shock that he was being recalled back home as he was needed for a special project there. He had less than a month to bid farewell to a people he had come to love. It felt like he was going to tear himself away from the place where he truly belonged. But despite of all this, he kept reminding himself that he just had time to get ready to be home for Christmas after such a long time.

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.