“Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey,or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff…”Matthew 10:9-10
Dear friends:
Here we are at the beginning of another school year. I’ve been away from Edwards for a number of weeks this summer. On one hand, it seems like the time flew. On the other, it felt like a very long time. With Debbie, Fran, and Peggy, I spent 19 days in Kenya. I traveled on big airplanes, a boat, bumpy vans, even tuk-tuks–you name it. It was quite a journey.
As Jesus’ followers started out on their amazing journey of discipleship, he gave them some simple instructions. Go out into the world. Go out and spread the word. Travel. Journey. Meet people and, by the way, don’t take much with you. No gold, or silver, or copper, no bag, only one tunic, no sandals, not even a staff. It might seem odd to send folks out on such a journey with so little, yet with little “baggage,” the focus of the disciples would not be on themselves, but rather on those they encountered along the way. This journey wasn’t about them…or their possessions, or their clothes, or their material wealth. It was about where their faith would lead them, and what and who they experienced there.
So it was with our travels this summer. While the group took many large suitcases, they were largely filled with donations for Sunrise School. I had only one small carry-on for my personal things. In many ways, I did truly leave much of the trappings of my life here at home.
We had plenty of adventures, and it was the people that really made the journey so rich and rewarding. It’s the people I’ll never forget. No gold, or silver, or copper, no bag, only one tunic, no sandals, not even a staff. It’s not what you bring with you on the journey, or what you pick up while you are there. It’s not the souvenirs, or even the dust on your sandals, that really matters. It’s the people who make the difference.
And the journey is not yet over. I’ve unpacked, of course, and I did my laundry. I’ve downloaded photographs to share. I’ve been through emails and snail mail that piled up in the office here at the church. I’m back into the swing of weekly worship and all the activities here on the campus of Edwards Church.
I’m glad to have had the privilege of visiting Kenya, and I’m glad to be back home with family and friends here at Edwards Church. We’re in the midst of many challenges and changes in our community. The journey continues, doesn’t it?
Let’s remember the wisdom from Jesus’ instructions and our summer travels, wherever they took each of us. It’s the people that make the journey so rich and rewarding. It’s the people we’ll never forget and who make the difference.
Grateful to be on this journey together,
Karen Nell