So many wonderful things have happened so far that I can't even describe them all. Everything seems perfect. There is one particular, little incident, however, which blew my mind a little more than the rest. It's that anecdote which I plan to focus on, and I hope it'll give you a little idea of what good times I'm having here. :P
I have an old friend from the International Bible College of Zambia (IBCZ--see the link to Gospelink in the sidebar) named Omega. Now, Omega is just as awesome and cool as his name implies. I met him the first year I visited Zambia (2012), and I've seen him each time since. He's all-Zambian: loud, boisterous, assertive, friendly, dynamic, and jovial--quick to laugh and quick to declare his opinion and make that special flavor of jokes that's characteristic of Zambia. He's tall, grinning, and energetic. That's Omega in a nutshell.
Well, it so happened that in the second year I visited Zambia, it was Omega's last year at IBCZ. At the end of my stay there, he rode on the bus and declared with firm conviction: "THIS is the last time you will ever see me."
"Aww, are you sure?" I responded. He was quite sure.
The next year, when I returned, who should I meet In the Manda Hill Mall parking lot but Omega himself!
"I thought you said last year would be the last time I'd ever see you!" I shouted at him. We spent a little time laughing and catching up.
Then, Omega said, "This is definitely the last time you will ever see me!" and went on his merry way.
Come 2016. I'm in Lusaka. My friend Enoch has taken me into the inner city marketplace to exchange some dollars into Kwacha and run a few errands. It's a vast place: bustling with activity and commerce--shops and strip malls and open-air markets blending together as one.
I had finished my errands, and Enoch and I were waiting on a bus to take us back. I was looking out the window and chatting with Enoch about something when suddenly he pointed past me, saying, "But have you seen this one?"
"What one?" I replied, looking where he was pointing. I couldn't believe my eyes. There, walking along the side of the street was none other than Omega! He strode right past us without looking up, but the moment I got my wits about me, I shouted, "Omega!". He stopped, looking around in bewilderment. "Omega!" I repeated, and finally his gaze landed on me. I doubt he could believe his eyes either.
"What are you doing here?!" I demanded as we shook hands.
"What are you doing here?!" he retorted. His was probably the more reasonable question. I explained to him that I'd just arrived in Zambia the night before. He was surprised to see Enoch too.
"You told me in 2013 and in 2014 that that would be the last time I'd ever see you!" I said accusingly. My levels of jocularity were through the roof.
"This time for sure is definitely the last time you'll ever see me," he replied emphatically.
"Yes, we have to keep saying that--" I began, "So that..."
"No, this time for sure," he said.
After we'd caught up a bit, he went on his merry way.
Probably to show up again at some other unexpected place in a year or two.
So that's Omega.
Now, while "Coincidence? I think not!" is just a joke, I actually don't believe in chance. Everything happens for a reason, and maybe that reason is sometimes just for the sake of laughter and strengthened relationships.
"Everything happens for a reason," I think, is a pretty popular saying, but it actually isn't supported by most belief systems. I can only believe it because I believe in a personal, purposeful, and sovereign God.
Personal - God is aa Person. He can reason, have emotions, and act out intentions. He loves, He is jealous, He has desires and plans and actions. An impersonal fate, destiny, or karma may be said to make things happen, but can those things really have reason behind them? Only a Person has reasons.
Purposeful - God has a plan and purpose, and that purpose is ultimately to redeem the world and glorify His holy name. Our individual purposes in this life are toward that end, as well as, ultimately, everything that happens.
Sovereign - Of course, if God wasn't sovereign over events, His personhood and purposefulness would be irrelevant to the question of whether everything happens for a reason. In fact, He does command all creation. As my friend Lwando would say, "God is in CONTROL!"
So what does this mean to my little meeting with Omega? It means I can thank God for such a delightful encounter!
