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In Africa, I’m An Old Man

By June 28, 2010Christians, Church


I’m a senior citizen….at least for now, Seriously. It’s not a joke. I’m not trying to be funny. I’m only 46 years old, but for the next couple weeks, I’ll be considered “old as dirt”. And, it won’t be because the 20 something year olds traveling with me will be making fun of me either…even though they might. In fact, they may go through a mid-life crisis, because they’ll be considered middle-aged.

In case you missed yesterday’s post, I’m headed to Sierra Leone. The life expectancy there is only 43 years old. I couldn’t believe that when I first read it. I will literally be an old man there. It reminds me that life is relative to the context in which you live it sometimes. It also makes me sad for that country and more passionate about ministering to the people of Sierra Leone.

I know this also. Not only will I be even more intentional there; knowing that life is so short, perhaps it will shape how I view life here, because life is short in the United States too, isn’t it? Regardless of how long a person lives…

I would appreciate your prayers. It would be great to get home and see comments that you were praying for our group. I suspect that I will feel those prayers, so let me thank you for them now.

Have you ever been to Africa? Have you been on a mission trip? Did it change your life? Tell me about it…at least where you went.

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Ron Edmondson

Author Ron Edmondson

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Join the discussion 16 Comments

  • Teri says:

    And you'll be able to reach an age sect that the college age can't. The elders. And they are the gate keepers…

  • if I have ever been in Africa, that is a real Question, Well I was born there, grow up there ,seen my father plant a church in a Moslem provinz.So I am from there, and I love those who leave many thing behind them to help Churches there.
    God Bless you again Ron.But you are not so old in sierra leone, don´t forget the civil war that destroyed that country.

  • Bob
    Twitter:
    says:

    I’m praying for you and the group, Ron. I know God will (already is) do some amazing things that are much broader than you and the group being there. You have to be there, though because you and the group are an integral part of what He’s doing. Simply Awesome!

  • Cindy White says:

    I ahve been on a mission trip to Romania. Did it change me~~ It changed me in ways that I have not even learned about at this time. One of the ways that it changed me was that I have more of a passion to help people out, as well as the main one is to tell others about Jesus who even here in the states have not heard about Christ. I was not suprised by the culture as I have been to Mexico several times. I do agree with Bob A that it does get into your bones. I would so love to go back on a Mission trip again sometime soon. Our Church has gone to Africa this summer and I would have loved to have gone. That just was not in God's plans. I will be praying for you all. I know that God is going to use you all in a really special way.

  • Bob A says:

    Have I ever been to Africa? Well, yes — lived in East Africa for most of the past 23.5 years. It has changed my life — given me a whole new view of the world, a new language, an appreciation for a different way of looking at life, an amazement at the joy in very poor people as they worship God, great friends, etc. It gets in your bones.

  • Renee Garcia says:

    I have been on a short mission trip to Mexico when I was in high school. We built a church… or the guys did. The girls did LOTS of cleaning and we handed out Bibles in Spanish. I also remember they served us fish… whole fish… with the heads still on… and it had eyes! The boys had a GREAT time with that! HA! I wouldn't say it was life changing… maybe eye opening, as I REALLY thought everyone lived the same as I did… with, you know, running water! A few of us got REALLY sick on the way home (and we drove!) so it was a long journey.

    Anyway, we are praying for you as you go on this trip! Can't wait to hear all about it!!

  • Hi Ron, I actually live in Africa, (specifically Johannesburg, South Africa). While growing up I always wanted to be involved in missions. I was involved in some church planting initiatives in some rural areas. The initiatives constituted missions for me. One of the reasons is that some places i.e. (cities and rural areas) in Africa (even in the same countries) are literally world's apart!

    I will be going on my second missions trip Mozambique in a few days. Mozambique has an even more different culture than the rest of the countries in Southern Africa.

    Each trip was different and changed my life in different ways. My most memorable church service was actually in a round mud hut in the south of Zimbabwe. What an experience and a sense of God's presence! I learned that God is limited by where we are and that what is most important to Him is that He is at the center of our activity and worship.

    In my last mission trip to Mozambique God refreshed me and spoke to me about rest! If I had NOT taken the trip I probably would've had a worse "crash" last year. I've since learned to be more disciplined in taking time to rest… I think i better stop now… 🙂

  • Martin Hill says:

    Wow Ron, I just blogged on the age of the man at the Beautiful Gate and commented about a similar thing in Ghana. That is too God incidental. Check out my spiritual blog below.