Is My Life a Movie? Part 2

Last year, my teammates traveled to two of our fields to take pictures and capture video. I stayed behind to look after things in Dallas. What follows is an essay I wrote detailing how I coped with this time in my life.

My team has left the building. While I stay in Dallas to wrap up projects and troubleshoot problems that arise, my teammates are traversing West Africa, taking pictures and recording video to help us better tell the story of what God is doing through His people there. When I was told, "Yes, the team is going, but you are staying," I was devastated. I had lived and worked in Africa for four years, and I wanted to go back and tie up some loose ends from my hasty departure. For a time I was upset, but God helped me to see that my staying was just as important as their going.
I tend to want to help people, especially close friends. I knew that my experiences would be a benefit to them on their journey. I was struggling with how I could help from afar when Adam shared a recent realization he'd had. He realized that life in America was like the Shire from J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings", and that the trip to Africa would be like going into Mordor. I readily related to this analogy, but at first I was struck even harder. I had always resonated with Samwise Gamgee, the hobbit gardener who became Frodo's companion. Sam's goal was to help Frodo, and I felt my goal was to help my team by going with them.
A few days before my team was to leave, God gave me another application of the analogy. I could not be Sam for my team, so I realized I had to be Aragorn. Aragorn was just as committed to aiding Frodo in his quest, but after the attack of the Uruk-hai and the temptation of Boromir by the Ring, Aragorn knew that he could not go with Frodo to Mordor. Instead, he and the others in the broken Fellowship fought battles and rallied allies so that Frodo could complete his mission.
Realizing I was Aragorn freed me to accept my role of the one who stayed behind. I wasn't worthless to the team. If anything I was even more valuable to my team in making certain that our department was well-represented in their absence. As Aragorn's heroic assault on the Black Gate allowed Frodo to further penetrate Mordor, my work in Dallas allows my team to focus on their mission and not worry about problems here.
I still resonate with Samwise when possible, helping my team. That time will come when they return home. But for now, I am Aragorn, and though I am not with them, we are working together toward the same goal. Sharing God's love, and motivating others to do the same. I am proud to be a part of that mission, whether here in Dallas or traveling across the world.