Thoughts from the Pressure Cooker III - Consider the Sunflowers of the Field

Continuing on in thoughts gathered in the 3 weeks I was in Mali following the coup d'état that started on March 21. 

The passage from yesterday's post (Matthew 6:25-27) goes on to say,

And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if god cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. . . . Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

There is nothing like packing that one "just in case" suitcase you are allowed on the evacuation plane to put everything in perspective. I have lived in the same apartment in Bamako since 1999 and filled it with things brought from America 2 suitcases at a time or bought locally.

On April 4 (day 14 of the coup), as I lay in bed at midnight reading news articles on my phone, I decided that things were looking like we might be leaving sooner than I'd thought. And given that I had a huge amount of things to finish at the office, I could see myself on the last day, running home with one hour to spare to pack. So I got up and worked from midnight to 3 a.m. to pack my suitcase. Walking around the house in the wee hours you realize that there is VERY little that you really need and can't live without. I ended up with

• some tax, medical and legal records, 
• a few changes of clothes
• very basic toiletries, and medicine
• family pictures 
• a few special items that I had made or people had made for me. 
• my journals

Everything else, you can do without. It seemed so anticlimactic and in a sense so contrary to the party game where you ask what you would save from your house if it was on fire, or what you would take to a desert island because it really was a no-brainer.

I did not leave until a week later and flew out on a regular commercial flight and so had 40 kilos and so was able to add a second small suitcase - more clothes, some books, some work files and some cycling items - just in case I could find a bike. In the end, my suitcases were even 3 kilos under the limit.

It's easy to feel somehow spiritual about leaving all behind, but I know in my heart of hearts that I have a vast network of people overseas who can and will help me to replace what I need, and also a credit card.

But what of "the least of these"? (more on that in part IV).