Story of the Week: Far, Far Away

Will you join us in praying for those who are serving the cause of Christ in difficult settings around the world?

Woodmen is grateful for our partnerships with organizations sharing hope around the world. In some cases, workers live and serve in countries where openly sharing the gospel is prohibited. This week’s story is the firsthand account of one of these workers. Certain details are omitted for security purposes. Will you join us in praying for those who are serving the cause of Christ in difficult settings around the world?

THESE AREN’T THE DROIDS YOU’RE LOOKING FOR

Fun fact: Many iconic scenes from the Star Wars movies were filmed in a country in North Africa. That’s the country where I live and work. I headed out from Woodmen a year or two ago, leaving a rich community to answer a calling to serve and share hope with the people of this region.

My roommates and I recently spent a day visiting the Star Wars sets. They’re not very impressive. The left over sets are run-down and the area is littered with tacky tourist traps and overpriced trinket stalls.

My teammates — who grew up with a deep love for Star Wars — went absolutely nuts over a half-destroyed Tatooine dome-hut, yelling, “This is it! Luke Skywalker lived here!”

YOU’RE MY ONLY HOPE

I just stood quietly, unable to appreciate the significance. I was raised by immigrant parents who didn’t care for the iconic American sci-fi franchise. I’d never seen the movies. So Luke’s hut left me uninspired.

In recent months, as a lifelong film student living with three Star Wars fanatics, I finally caved and watched all six original Star Wars movies with my roommates. These movie nights became a highlight. All of us huddled around our too-small-for-the-living-room TV, the volume turned up too loud, snacking on our favorite treats.

Our one problem was that the movie frequently paused to buffer, thanks to our spotty Wi-Fi. To fill these awkward silences, I’d jokingly ask questions like, “Why in the world is Princess Leia into Han Solo?” or “What’s the point of Jar Jar Binks in the saga?”

A BRIGHT CENTER TO THE UNIVERSE

In one of those silences, I had an epiphany.

Two weeks earlier, I was meeting with an older, wiser brother when he asked me to think hard about what an ideal life might look like as a single man. I told him I imagined living in a robust community — close to younger men and women who I could do life with, and close to mentors. The picture in my mind was a large dining table, where people from all walks of life would gather in fellowship, united under the Son and His vision for life.

And in that movie-night moment, with Yoda’s face frozen, mid-speech on our TV (Almost like Han Solo frozen in carbonite) — it hit me: I’m living out that vision right now!

In my community, I have mentors I look up to—men with whom I can share hopes and fears without being judged. And sometimes we just kick it — bowling or grabbing KFC. KFC in my country is really good!

I live with younger guys in caring community. We enjoy movie nights, but we also argue over who takes out the trash, have real conversations about our struggles with sin, make ice cream runs during Premier League halftime and stay up way too late playing cards. We’ve cried and prayed together over family tragedies.

LUMINOUS BEINGS ARE WE

I’m living out the joyful and messy reality of close Christian community, and I’m thankful — Thankful because I live outside my comfort zone and practice compassion and kindness even when I don’t feel like it.

I’m grateful that I’m forced to deal with my own mess so I can be a better teammate and witness. It’s a privilege and a joy to be part of this community. And somewhere along the way, the sense of loneliness I initially experienced in this new land has become rare.

From this place of belonging and community, we’ve been able to invite local friends into our lives, too. Sometimes it’s hosting neighborhood boys for home-cooked American meals or having difficult conversations about conflicts in the Middle East over coffee. Other times it’s providing resources and planting seeds of hope for addicts in despair or laughing with local brothers and sisters at game nights. And we’re doing it all together.

This tight-knit community, united in faith and mission, has been fertile soil: We see the fruit of local relationships growing and we see the slow, but steady, transformation in our lives.

Am I a diehard Star Wars fan now, like my roommates? Not quite. But perhaps you’ll catch me at a social gathering one day, making small talk about whether Han or Greedo shot first. Until then, may the force be with you.

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