25 Observations from travelling on the planes, trains and busses of France, Luxembourg and Chad

In early April, I had the incredible opportunity to travel for 16 days with my middle son, Tyler (18 years old; finishing his senior year of high school) to visit a number of Bibles International translation projects in Europe and Africa. It was a memorable trip on so many levels. We flew into Paris (2 days), traveled by train to Luxembourg (2 days), Angers (2 days) and Normandy (1 day), before boarding a plane again for 7 days in Chad, Africa.

It was not an easy travel itinerary, and the onslaught of new experiences was overwhelming at times, but I don’t think we would have changed any part of it. In fact, it seems that God often teaches his most impacting lessons in seasons of physical and emotional duress. I won’t forget these days with Ty and some of the lessons God taught us together about life, and people and ministry.

Here are 25 observations made during these high intensity days – some light-hearted, some simple notes of interest, some glimpses into the lessons God was pressing on our hearts…

1. There must be a lot of talented graffiti artists along the subway lines and train tracks of France. 2. It's not hard to find a place to eat in Paris. 3. I have never seen so many pie-slice-shaped buildings in my life. 4. I think Ty would be happy to take his day pass and just ride the subway around the city all day. He might have a little hobo blood in him. 5. There is alot of kissing in Paris. For the most part, Ty kept his distance. 6. I bought a Paris souvenir for Matt. An old, two volume set of French poetry. Written by Victor Hugo. From a street vendor set up on the wall of the Seine River. In the Latin Quarter. Just south of Notre Dame. That's pretty cool. 7. Police on foot and bike, as well as heavy armed military are conspicuously present all around Paris. Terrorism is the new, every day threat for the people of Europe. 8. Why do people on subways always look so sad and beaten down? Is it just the monotony of the commute? Or maybe the monotony of life itself? Is it the fact that you are sitting/standing there surrounded by dozens of people, but nobody talks to each other? Like there’s an unwritten rule that your eyes must not meet?

9. When did this kid grow up? All I can remember is him out in the yard with his ball and mitt, throwing that thing up in the air for hours as he simulated every play of an entire ball game. All of a sudden, he is this kind, compassionate, respectful, talented young man who loves God and sees the world through the eyes of Jesus. Please, Father, help him to navigate these tumultuous years of young adulthood. Give him courage to stand tall, and surrender all. Please take every ounce of his gifts, shape them for their most effective purposes and use him to fan the flames of the gospel throughout the next generation.

10. Who would have believed that there was a need for a Bible translation in the heart of Europe? Nestled between Germany, France and Belgium, where the Scriptures have been available for centuries, is the country of Luxembourg --- and there is no Luxembourgish Bible translation! 11. Luxembourg has a population of 500,000 people, 350,000 of whom Luxembourgish is their mother tongue! A missionary told me that although the country has been historically religious, his estimation is that there are around 1000 evangelical Christians - less then 1/5 of 1%. Many of these Christians (most of them?) are expats living in the country. I am thrilled that the Lux NT translation should be printed and available by 2017, and excited to think of the impact that God’s Word is going to have among these people. Perhaps God will allow Bibles International to partner with a team of God-called gospel messengers and church planters, who believe that NOW is the perfect time for God to do a dramatic work in this beautiful city!

12. You can purchase a hand-held solar charger for all your devices from a street vendor at the bus stop in N'djamina.

13. I was definitely shocked that the nicest and newest bus I have ever traveled on went from N'djamina to Sahr, Chad. Of course, 17 hours over innumerable speed bumps and more than a dozen passport check-stops is grueling, no matter how nice the bus is.

14. Arabic music videos for 17 hours straight on a bus trip can get really old.

15. Chadian Christians laugh easily and fully. It is a deep belly laugh that shows up on every part of their face. A merry heart does good like a medicine (Pr. 17:22) I would think these are very healthy people!

16. Soccer in Chad is played by barefoot boys in clouds of dust.

17. Three to a seat - two Chadians and one American - for 5.5 hours, over Chadian roads in Chadian heat is definitely a test of fellowship

18. We were warned that Chad is hot in April. Ummm, the reports were not exaggerated ... but it's a dry heat ;)

19. The driver of our Toyota forerunner made what I was told was a 3.5 hour drive from Sarh to Sido, over African track, in 2.5 hrs. I'm not sure if I should appreciate him for shortening the misery, question his sanity for putting us through it, or bill him for future back surgery. Actually, I thought it was a great adventure and I could not help admire his off road driving skills - sort of like a one day taste of the "around the world in 100 day race"

20. Waiting is a way of life in Africa. You come for a 5 AM bus to leave at 6:30. You take unexpected stops so the driver can sleep for 2 hours (or 3.5 if he decides he wants to wait and put you on the next bus :). Services may start at 7:30, or closer to 8:00. It is a good lesson in patience for those of us who are used to timeliness and set schedules.

21. Chadian women have a sort of regal bearing and posture. I am guessing that some of it stems from the heavy loads they carry so gracefully on their heads virtually everywhere they go, from the time they are little girls.

22. There was a nice lady who did our laundry for pennies. She ironed my white t-shirts. I'm thinking that we have missed out on this process all these years. Faith, sweetheart, what do you think?

23. Early in the morning, I was sitting on the front porch of the house where we are staying in the little village of Balimba. A little boy (somehow related to one of our around the clock house guards I am sure) sat on a chair about 10 yards from my porch, bashfully peering around the back of the chair to stare at my strange face. All of a sudden, he jumped up and ran around the corner of the house. He came back after 30 seconds or so, walking tentatively but bravely toward me, his little hands holding out two smashed and rotten mangoes as a present for me. I took them with a genuine "Merci", and he ran right away back to his chair. It really was quite brave of him and I felt so honored that he would take such a risk to offer this gift to me. I wonder if Jesus sees my gifts to Him like this? Humble, sometimes sorta brave, open hands toward Him with the best that I have to offer - I sure hope He does.

24. By our best count, we passed through 65+ security check points in our 7 days in Chad - some demanding nothing more than a passport check and a hard stare, but others asking us to exit the bus, vehicle or security line, meet with military security officers, pat downs, even receiving our own personal policeman escort for about 10 miles to a more senior security clearance officer. We were thankful for these measures as we knew they made our journey more safe. However, they also served to build a sort of underlying security tension for us, and the realization that the country of Chad is in a precarious location and how desperately our BI personnel and projects need God's hand of protection. If you are reading this, would you pray that God would protect the believers in Chad and allow the doors to remain open in this place, and these critical Bible projects to move forward unimpeded?

25. We stood beside the gravestones of two children today in Sarh, Chad, just a few kilometers away from the stone which marks the very center of the continent of Africa. The young Metzler family came to Sarh in 1925 as the first missionaries in this whole region. In the first year of their ministry they buried their second son at 6 months old. Thirteen years later, they buried a daughter next to her brother. Two of their five children laid to rest in this arid soil. I stood there and wondered what that must have felt like to lose two of your children in this place and for this cause. I could almost see that young couple standing on that same ground 80 some years ago and wondered if my missions commitment could have withstood that test. Just a few days earlier, Tyler and I had walked among thousands of graves in the cemetery above Omaha Beach, in Normandy, France. A beach where thousands of young soldiers (most of them 18-23 years old, the ages of my two sons) lost their lives in the noble causes of liberty and freedom. In both locations you cannot help but feel the awesome weight of these sacrifices. Tyler and I prayed together at what we felt was a hallowed spot in that little cemetery in Sarh. We thanked God for the "lay it on the altar" example of the Metzler family and many other missionaries like them. And we prayed that our commitment to give God everything - no strings attached - would honor the legacy of those who have paved the way before us.