Grace Needed

8:00 p.m. Friday night and Darron has gone to bed. 

2:30 a.m. Saturday morning, I hear the shower curtain metal clasps scrape against the metal rode.  Opening.  Closing.  Opening.  Closing.  I glance at the clock and remember asking Darron before he fell asleep, “Do you need an alarm clock?”  “No, God will wake me up….”   I think I hear the metal clasps scrape again.  That is the last I heard. 

5:45 a.m. I awake.  His pillow is empty.  He is gone. His church clothes and shoes are gone.  I see evidences of granola gone in the kitchen.  Our “mission mobile” is gone. Today is the day that Darron and Pastor Alfian will drive to one of Pastor Alfian’s churches.  Only an anticipated 5 hours away. 

At 9:45 a.m. I get a series of text’s:

Darron:  This is quite the journey.  Stuck twice and had to back up and retry several times.

Ruth:  Oh My!  Are you there yet?

Darron:  Still on the way but we would have been there had we not waited on church members for 1 hour.

Ruth:  Are you enjoying yourself?  I heard you showering around 2:30.

Darron:   Yes.  We just arrived at 10:23.  2 hours delayed because of road condition and waiting on late members. 

My thoughts:  That is 7 hours from the departure time.

Ruth:  Bless you.  You are amazing!!!!!!

I would be dead by now!  If I did what you do…..

Darron:  Yes I may need a little grace by tomorrow.

 

So to my man, who spends over 120 days a year travelling in a 3rd world.  Too cold showers, rice and veggies for breakfast, lunch and supper.  To every lunch (when he is home) Darron telling another interesting story from the day.  From seeing a little child flown in from a village who didn’t make it, just yesterday.   To Pastor Alfian one step away from stepping on a Death Adder, just right out on our airstrip (I think that was on Monday while he and Darron were talking).  To students making building blocks out of recycled plastics (Tuesday-Thursday).  To a conversation with a “trecker” (completely secular man) who flew often with Bob, that intends to write a chapter in his book about Bob (yesterday).  To mission plans and mission meetings (Tuesday).  To 20-40 people flowing through his office every day with questions, requests for money or workers or materials, to share ideas and dreams, frustrations and burdens.  To a job more diverse then words can explain.  To planning in a culture that defies planning.  To spending time with 4 boys and a wife.  To trying to stay healthy and take care of himself spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  To mosquitoes, worms, colds, parasites and diseases that keep trying to take their opportunity to set up house. To evangelistic training and visioning.  To thinking outside of the box.

Grace is needed!

So that is my job, defined.  GRACE.   A nice meal other then rice and veggie.  A listening ear. A back massage (OK SO I’ve got lots of room to grow).  Taking care of the children and having a sweet spirit.  Being strong and yet being soft and submissive (oh how we dislike that word). 

Often I feel like I could do my job anywhere in the world.  Especially at home in America.  But the fact is, Darron can only do this job here.  So that in turn defines my job. 

The qualifications that would be posted for being the wife to Darron would be:  needed grace.  : )  I’m glad that the Lord gives gifts to those of us who ask.  And my heart delights in the one to whom I am married.  The truth be told, I often need grace also.  Give and take.  I imagine Darron will be home at 11:00 tonight.  Maybe I’ll hear the metal shower curtain clasps scrape.   I’ll wake up in the morning and Darron’s head will be laying on his pillow.