Finish Strong

With temperatures cooling slowly, people in Mozambique are pulling out the coats and boots and scarves and preparing for winter. I have recently seen my breath and found myself shivering as I take the keys to the guards in the early morning! Even so, I quickly forget the chill when the afternoon sun beats down in PE. Nonetheless, the summer is coming to an end, along with my time in Mozambique.

 

Hilario getting the keys

In four weeks I will be writing from the other side of the Atlantic. There were times when the thought of completing this year seemed impossible. There were others when I could picture myself here full-time. Mostly, I've been content with the rate of speed of the year. But as I approach my departure, I feel a need to finish strong.

Dad has told me many times,

"Most accidents occur within 20 miles of home."

It may be that people just avoid venturing out. Maybe their jobs prevent them from traveling. Maybe the price of gas keeps them close. You can't crash where you don't go. It makes sense - if you drive close, you'll crash close.

But maybe it's not that people don't travel. Maybe they do. And just maybe, as they return, the tendency is to let down their guard and relax while approaching familiar ground, the welcoming destination they like to call, home. I don't want to relent or relax in this twenty mile stretch left in Africa. I want both of my Dads to be proud.

If you are ending a term of sorts, I encourage you to do more than just finish. Don't settle for simply completing the task. Some people fall asleep when they approach a destination. Let's not just do our time. My challenge is for us to get creative and keep ourselves awake by working harder than in the past; looking further for opportunities to grow, and encouraging others along the way.

Let's run the race well, and finish strong!