Preparations

“You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.” ~Psalm 91: 5, 6

The metal folding chair on which I sat was incredibly uncomfortable. It was one of only seven in the cramped narrow waiting room. In the only other occupied seat sat an anxious Asian gentleman. The wall was covered with a colorful photo montage style poster replete with pictures of lions, zebras, giraffes and grinning tribesmen in ceremonial garb. One was bent forward greeting the child of a European tourist whose back was to the viewer. “Visit Kenya” the poster read. For some reason, I had thought the Consulate of Kenya in LA would be bigger.

The service window was located at the far end of the waiting area. A movie theater style glass partition, with a beveled hole, through which to converse, and an arched slot at counter height, through which paperwork could be passed, separated “guests” from the office workers. In a few minutes, with any luck, two passports, with Kenyan Visas affixed inside, would pass through that slot into my waiting hands.

Procuring a travel visa takes time, effort and expense. Forms need to be completed on line and hard copies signed and submitted. Additional passport pictures are required and the Consulate only takes certified checks or money orders which requires an extra trip to the bank. Expedited service is also an additional charge. I had paid the extra fee so I could return in several hours rather than several days to retrieve my passports… and so I sat.

As I waited my mind rummaged through a random list of the preparations we had made thus far. You can tell a lot about a country by what you have to do to go there. The plethora of inoculations we had endured (Hep A, Hep B, Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Polio boosters, Tetanus boosters and even H1N1) was a clear indication of the level of health of the society. Malaria pills were prescribed as well. One out of four people in Kenya are infected with the disease. Mosquito repellent for body and clothes are also a must.

If inoculations are an indicator of the physical health of a society, currency will give you the vital signs of the economy. Exchanging currency into British Pounds or Euros is a bit like playing the stock market, but in third world countries it’s more like playing monopoly. A Kenya Shilling is worth less than 2 cents; a buck gets you 79 Shillings. In other words 34,000 Kenya Shillings are worth less than $500.00 US, indicating a weak economy and in turn a very poor country.

“Excuse me. Mistuh Cahpah?” The softly accented voice roused me out of my mental ramblings. There was a well appointed gentleman standing behind the glass; his crisp, white shirt, complete with gold cuff links, shone against his dark skin. As I stepped to the window he opened each of the two passports displaying the visa inside, assuring me all was in order. The visas were hand printed in “papyrus” script. I thanked him, shook his hand and happily headed for the elevator lobby, passports and receipt in hand.

If we plan on traveling there are preparations which need to be made. Some preparations are imposed upon us such as passports, visas, proper identification, etc. Other preparations are matters of comfort: the appropriate clothes and shoes, money to pay for necessities and frivolities, shelter (from tents to five star hotels), etc. Then there are those preparations which are for our health, well being and safety. Whether it be inoculations, insect repellent, being alert to dangerous areas or just having a pair of good walking shoes, safety is important. We ready ourselves physically, but we usually pay little attention to our spiritual preparedness. As we travel through life the one preparation most of us neglect is inviting God along in the form of the Holy Spirit.

God gave me a gentle reminder of this last week. I posted a light hearted comment on my Facebook page. It read “Teresa and I head for Dandora, Kenya to do missionary work for 2 weeks. Got the inoculations, got the visas, got the bug repellent...what am I forgetting???” I received many equally light hearted “shares” but one response, posted by a friend from South Africa, got my attention. “Read Psalm 91 every day,” she wrote.

South Africa has endured very troubled times over the last 30 to 40 years, but particularly in the 80's and 90's. In fact, in 1995 and 1998 South Africa led the world in reported murders. Life was not only uncertain, it was just plain dangerous; people murdered, homes, banks and businesses robbed, cars hijacked and their drivers and passengers slaughtered. At the same time however, there was an upsurge in prayer as the Holy Spirit moved through the country. All religions, Christian and non-Christian alike, prayed for peace; for an end to the death and destruction. Many began claiming protection under Psalm 91. Homes and businesses erected signs which read “Protected by Psalm 91” instead of “Protected by Brink’s Security”. Amazingly, none of those who claimed the protection of Psalm 91 were targeted.

As Christian Stewards we know prayer is an important part of our lives. As we make our preparations, whether it be for the coming day, a business meeting or a trip half way round the world, an important part of those preparations should be prayer and Psalm 91 is a good place to start.

Dear God: send your Holy Spirit to protect me today; to give me guidance and direction.

"Because they love me, says the LORD, I will rescue them; I will protect them, for they acknowledge my name. They will call upon me, and I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will deliver them and honor them.” ~Psalm 91: 14, 15

© 2010 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.
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