There's no place like home

What a journey? After a journey of three airports, two flights, a mad dash to the airport and over 18 hours of flying, we finally arrived...home.

Now I know this seems weird to say. But these travels have taken me the furthest away from home and also brought me closest to home at the same time. Huh? Let me explain.

I left the four most precious people to me behind - my wife and three kids. It was tough knowing I would not see them for 2 weeks. Phone calls and video conferencing are just not the same as face to face contact.

However when our plane landed in Johannesburg, South Africa, a part of me felt quite at home. But my real welcome home happened when I went up to the Customs Agent. After the customary greeting and routine check, she remarked to me, "You look like one of us. You look like you belong here." And she was right. I feel at home in South Africa.

When we arrived it was already dark so we could not see a lot of the natural beauty of the country. From what we've seen in Johannesburg, it is a very modern and developed city. We head out to more remote areas tomorrow to see the work being done there.

I'm not sure everything that will transpire over these next two weeks. But I rejoice so far that God has allowed this long lost son of African descent to set foot on the motherland.

There's no place like home.