The Greyhound Express

During these past 4 days I had orientation for my time in East Asia. Some people left at the end of the conference for their trip and other like me still a couple months away (August 20th). The most memorable experience I had was not in Pennsylvania, but my trip there.

Being my frugal-driven self, I decided that because I don't have a dependable car (17 year old minivans don't qualify as good candidates for long trips) and instead of flying, I'd take the Greyhound bus. Bear in mind, I had been on long bus rides before, but those experiences were primarily in Europe and Africa, but never in the US.

Though it turned a 9-hour ride into 17-hour adventure, I was struck by the people I ran into. From the first two hours I sat beside and even got to share my faith with a Sikh in medical school, to the Haitian lady that said I didn't look Indian when I told her I was from Indiana, to the scruffy-haired, compassionate man in one of the bus stations who was clearly yearning for any amount of food and fellowship from anyone as we talked for close to an hour and he inhaled the cookies I offered to him. I continue to come to grips with the great needs of this world. I know God is just preparing me know for a glimpse of what I might see and experience while I'm on my trip.