A couple of weeks ago was the 50^th Anniversary of Togo’s Independence from France. As good missionaries do, we decided to go out and celebrate Togolese style. This excursion proved to become by far, my most favourite experience in Togo thus far (Easter trip to Ghana excluded – since that occurred in Ghana). In order to effectively document said excursion, I have been planning to blog about it for the past two weeks…but alas, I am highly distractible and sitting at my computer is never high on my priority list. At this point, I have given up the dream of a clever, informative, entertaining report of the details of my first Togolese Independence Day, but decided that it would still be worth it to post some photos – courtesy of the day volunteers who served as our tour guides for the day.

Two years ago - almost to the day - I was doing this very same thing. It's really one of my favourite activities: Making lists.



I have the "to buy", "to pack", and the customary "to do" lists currently on the go. From what I can tell, thanks to a drastic shortage of sick children in the Ontario health care system as of late and its subsequent effect on my employment situation, I am more than on track to being fully prepared for my departure in less than one month. One would expect that such an exquisite display of organization and planning would cause me to be feeling nothing short of smug with myself.


Unfortunately, I can't help but wonder my lists are so short. And why, despite my persistence in attempting to make them longer, I continue to cross off items at a pace that should be the envy of procrastinators everywhere. It seems like it should be harder.

Maybe, the excitement of how I am going to spend the next three months is completely overshadowing the fact that spending 45 minutes on the phone arguing with a FIDO representative is typically less than enjoyable.

Maybe, it is just plain easier the second time around

Or maybe, I am going to get to Togo and realize that I did everything wrong and have to suffer three mascara & high-quality pen-free months. I'll keep you posted....

It's happened.



I finally got excited. I think that maybe I was afraid to let it happen too early. But ever since I realized that I am less that 1422 hours away from arriving in Africa again, something has felt different. I guess I have been avoiding letting myself feel the way I should feel about doing the thing I think I was born to do. But, with another chance for my dreams to come to realization in the very near future, I am absolutely overcome with joy, passion, and raw excitement



For the last two years I have been wary of implying that serving, loving, teaching, growing, and living in Africa were any more important, special, or purposeful than doing those same things in North America. Any logical person should be able to come to the conclusion that they have to be equal. For the most part, we have little control over where we are geographically located at any given time, give or take a vacation every couple of years. It stands to reason then, that we are called to serve and love the people around us.....not simply serve and love when we happen to be in an area where the the needs are literally written all over peoples' faces.



But the reality is that we were each made uniquely.



I have spent the last two years learning a lot about my brain, and my heart, and my unique strengths. And, as it turns out, this whole theme of mercy is more than a coincidence in my life. While I won't even pretend to take credit for it, I realize that all of those nursing school lectures on empathy must have stuck and I have been left with the ability to legitimately feel what another person is feeling. At this point in my very immature career, I usually lack the tools and skills necessary to solve the problem. But, I feel it. Sometimes, when I am really lucky, as if it were my own pain.



Lately, I have been asking God to "break my heart with what breaks His"....and miraculously, He has. I am starting to feel direct compassion for the patients that I have yet to meet, but that I am going to have the opportunity to serve in Togo.



Some people will change their world by changing policies. Some people will change their world by being influential public figures. Some people will change their world through strategic application of their financial affluence. I hope to change my world through the unique privilege of demonstrating the compassion God first showed to me to someone who may not have experienced it before.



And that excites me.