Just Run...

2011 was the year, the year we travelled to Ghana as a family and met our cousins there (they were on a school excursion there). I remember my experience of going to Ghana, we went by bus so that we could "see" the sights. It was my first and only time seeing a female ride a motorcycle (okada). I also saw and crossed borders; with my foot!! Okay let me explain, so for every border, we got to, we were asked by customs officials to get down from the bus with our passports, get the necessary stamps and join the bus back.

Our 12-hour journey was hilarious, tiresome, fun, adventurous and whatnot, but that wasn't the highlight of our travel experience. I can't remember now, but I think we had a week and a half to experience the beauty of Ghana. From Bola Beach (the name stuck) to Akosombo Dam, to Kakum Nation Park (this park made me speak in tongues from fear), to the foods; we experienced it all. Again, that wasn't the highlight of our trip.

Here is the highlight; On the day we were meant to come back to Nigeria we headed for the airport, having experienced the road to get to Ghana, we deserved a 45-minute effortless journey back to Nigeria. So that's where the drama began...

We got to the airport about 2 hours earlier than our flight time. We had checked-in our apparently 'heavy' boxes and were left with what-was-meant to be out hand luggage (I use what-was-meant because those things were heavy and anything but portable; I can bet those hand luggage’s individually weighed more than I did). Shey as Children of God we were to go ahead to the checkpoints and get to our boarding gate, but noooooo, we all turned around and sat at a long, all happy and chatting that we would be getting back to Nigeria soon. What still makes me laugh is how no one thought to check the time.

Fortunately, a certain good Samaritan called (I'm so tempted to use the word beckon, so I'll drop it here) my mom and after a brief discussion, we all started to run (fun fact about me is I CAN'T RUN, it's not one of my talents). Alas! we were a hairsbreadth to missing our flight. So, back to this running of our, it wasn't fun, I ran like my life depended on it. I remember carrying one of the heavy "hand" luggage we had, well I tried carrying it, and I was struggling with it, then my mom offered to help, but you see that agidi of mine (past tense agidi/stubbornness), I said no, whilst trying to run efficiently.

My mom being the macho-mama-bear that she took the bag from me and said I should continue running, that moment caused my brain to get scared, real hot tears cascaded down my face (to be less dramatic, I cried). For some twisted childish reason, I thought we were going to leave my mom in Ghana, and I would never see her again. I tried to be more dramatic with my tears, but my head was sọngọ-ed (I don't know the English meaning, but I'll go will 'teleported') to the front. At some point we got to the tarmac, the plane was ready to take off and there we were (about 3 families being represented), panting for air like we just ran Lagos Marathon. 

Now that I'm all grown, I still don't understand the assurance my mom had that she won't be left behind. Although the worst that could have happened would be us spending an extra night in Ghana, my young self didn't know that.

So here is my conclusion; Sometimes we feel like we are alone, we pray, we cry, sometimes lament, we call to God, and in our young minds, we would feel God is not there, so we would carry our hand luggage of unnecessary burdens and try to run to and on the tarmac. Meanwhile, God is there saying "cast your burdens dears". In our run for the tarmac, my mom and the other adults found a way to get us in shuttle buses (tarmac shuttle), and we were driven to the plane (not inside).

Anyways what I'm trying to say is that God got you covered, just open ya eyes and see; but to be honest, you are never alone, God will carry your burdens for you, care for you, pave the way and be with you every step of the way.

So, with that:

Psalm 55:22 (MSG)

Pile your troubles on God's shoulders. He'll carry your load; He'll help you out. 

P.S. listen to the donut man version of this verse