Waiting

 

Waiting...Ugh! I really don't like to wait. In Ghana, my whole life seems to be waiting. I once facilitated a Sunday School teacher training. It was SUPPOSED to start at 9 am. Two people were there. By 11 am there were twelve. When I travel, I walk to the tro tro station and wait. The tro tro won't leave until it is full (except for the 7 am one.) I sometimes wait 15 minutes. Most times, though, I wait more than an hour. When taking the bus to Tamale, I am always told the reporting time is 4:30 in the morning. The bus rarely leaves before 6:00! Banking can be difficult. When inside the bank, I join the queue. Hopefully, I won't be in a hurry! The plumber says he will arrive at 7:00 in the morning. He arrives closer to 8:00. Even on March 8, Independence Day, when the programs are to start at 9:00 am, I have waited hours for the festivities to begin because the Chief has not yet arrived. Then, there is always waiting for the internet to connect or the electricity to come back on. It seems that after awhile, I've gotten used to waiting in Ghana.

 

Now, to the present day...I am in the USA. I have been with my beloved family and friends. I have seen doctors and dentists. I have traveled, visiting all four time zones. And, I have waited. This time, it is a different kind of wait. Waiting to go through security at the airport. Waiting for a movie to start. Waiting in line at the store. Waiting for church to begin. Waiting for my name to be called at the doctor's office. Waiting to see my sister again.

 

There is one kind of waiting I am having a terrible time dealing with. It is waiting to return to Ghana. And, that return timing is not easy to nail down. My return depends on the healing of my jaw/gums/mouth from a dental implant. Then, after I am discharged from that dental specialist (ideally 10 weeks after the implant), I have to go to my dentist to have a crown made and place in my mouth (About three weeks of more waiting.) What if things don't go by the "ideal" timeline? When do I return home? I miss my own bed. I miss having coffee or tea with God on the veranda. I miss my friends. I miss my kids.

 

There is a reason I am here other than dental work. What it is, I don't know. God does. Maybe He is teaching me patience. Maybe He is protecting me from something or preparing me for something. All I know is waiting is hard to do.