"Home is where your rump rests"

Oh Pumba, the great philosopher (from The Lion King).

I was thinking today about the idea of “home.” Many people around me sing praises of Nigeria, of Africa; oh how they love it here! Sure, I’m enjoying myself and find the people endearing and the culture fascinating and fun. However, I don’t feel so strongly to say that THIS is where I am made to live my life. After more searching, I couldn’t find anything specific that I was missing or looking for. Rather, I can honestly say that I could see myself in any conceivable situation—for a time. I laugh, picturing me at the end of my life like the bridesmaid on 27 Dresses, owning a miniature wardrobe required for each stage of life during which I lived in a different part of the world. There is not a particular place where I dream of living. Further, I expect my life to be essentially the same no matter where I find myself because it will consist of simply loving and living out Christ, regardless of my occupation.

That leads me to wonder if I will ever make a home for myself or what I will call home in the end. At this point, I am not emotionally affected at this uncertainty. Being fresh out of university, I’m used of having two locations that are both my home: my dorm in Columbia, SC and my parent’s place in Brown Summit, NC. I have no problem, therefore, calling where I am living now as my home as much as Brown Summit is. (I’d like to make a disclaimer at this point to say that I am not pretending to fully understanding my MK and TCK friends, but it’s interesting how traveling can change you.)

This world is not my home, and yet, it has been given to me to enjoy and take care of. Perhaps shedding my nationality as my identification is the first step to feeling deeply the brotherhood of all men everywhere.

Looking to the Lord,
Kari
Eph 4:2-4 “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

PS: I couldn’t think of a good place to put this last thought—what better place than a p.s.? I firstly and ultimately love God, and He is my source of love for any group of people. Therefore, I choose to go to a place because I love God, not necessarily because I love that particular people more than any other. Otherwise, my loyalties would be skewed.