Jesus is Enough

     Today is day of the Almaty marathon. I know this from a quick glance at social media as I take the short trek from our bedroom/living room to the bathroom this morning. I am reminded of my friend who is running in it for the first time and I say a prayer of grace and endurance for her.
     A few hours later, Necip is ready to head out the door two hours before our kazak fellowship begins. But I have yet to finish my preparations for the morning. Twenty minutes later we exit our flat, walking the 10 minutes to the bus stop where we will begin the two bus journey to the church. It usually takes about an hour total. But today there are very few buses running...and strange route numbers showing up on the buses. We wait another 10 minutes and then decide to begin the 10 minute walk to a different bus stop on a different road to see if anything is running anywhere in the vicinity.
     We arrive at the end of this road and see police cars blocking many different directions at the overpass. Necip considers calling a taxi but then realizes they are outrageously priced today. We see a bus finally, and although it is a number that will usually not take us to where we want to go, we jump on anyway. The good thing is that there is a GPS bus app for the city and we are able to see at least where this bus is headed. We get off 30 minutes later after crawling to our bus stop, thinking maybe just maybe there will be buses going up the hill to our destination.
     After walking to a different bus stop, we realize that there are no buses running this route today and we continue the 30 minute walk to the fellowship location. We arrive just in time for the worship, but have missed the pastor and his wife’s party for the newest addition to their family — a beautiful girl named Sarah. I am hot and feel sick and can hardly function.
     I join Necip in the 3rd row of chairs and am flooded by worship songs in Kazak and an overwhelming feeling of disconnectedness. My exhaustion comes upon me and my heart starts crying, If only I could just go home. But where is home? We have traveled all this way to have a temporary home here but yet the trials and struggles of this place are not home. When we go back to Turkey, will that be home? My heart is heavy.
     But the last worship song we sing is familiar to me in English. That Jesus is enough. That my home is with him. That he will hold me and keep me. That the things of this world are fleeting and soon we shall be with Him.
     Deep breath. Deep sigh. And this is how I move into our day.
     Many times I have to remind myself that Jesus is enough. It should be easy to remember but sometimes we forget, but what a joy to share this truth with others. That is what missions is all about, sharing that Jesus is enough. That is the truth that will help get us through each and every day.