What is this place?

The plane lands. Seat belt light turns off. Stand up. Grab luggage. Walk the slow walk from the back of the plane to the front. Step out of the door, breathe in. Oh the smells, oh the sounds, oh the sights.

What is this place? It’s all so familiar. The people, the accents, the language. Things that hold such a special place in my heart. 

What is this place? There’s trash everywhere, but I don’t see it. The roads are beat up with tons of potholes, but those are just normal and a part of life for the people who live here. There’s red dirt everywhere, but there’s green bushes and trees covering the mountainsides.

What is this place? There’s mosques everywhere, people flock there to find answers. There’s sick people everywhere. Children running everywhere. Anything and everything being carried on the tops of people’s heads. Men in suits, men in rags. Women is fancy traditional clothing, women in rags. Children wearing school uniforms, children wearing torn and old clothes. Some people have shoes, many do not. Some people have plenty of food, many people have no idea where their next meal will come from. Good water is scarce. You can look down the valley where the river is and see people scattered along the river washing their clothes. 

What is this place? This is a lost nation that desperately needs to know Jesus. This is a place that has so much loss and devastation, but there is hope. Hope that there can be change. Hope that God can transform this place. 

What is this place? This is the place that is closest to my heart. This is place where I belong. This is the place I love most. This place is my Sierra Leone.