“America is Disneyland”

 

One sunny summer afternoon, the kind that Minnesota is famous for, I was in my office at church, surrounded by papers and books on my desk.  A friend stopped by and said to me, “Do you want to go on a walk with us?  It’s such a nice day and summer is too short.  A walk around the lake will do us some good.”

A few minutes later, we jumped into their small car and headed to Lake Harriet, about seven miles away.  When we got there, we parked the car and began our walk around the small lake.  Even the trees, shimmering in the light breeze, seemed to be reveling in the perfect day.  The sun glinted off the ripples in the water, and sailboats, tilting toward the wind, skimmed across the clear blue water. When we circumnavigated the lake, we got back into the car and drove back.

Jon parked the car and as we walked back into the church, he said, “America is Disneyland.” 

I laughed and agreed, but just to make sure I was agreeing with the same things that he was talking about, I asked, “What do you mean?”

“Well,” he began.  “We just decided to go to the lake, seven miles away.  We got in our car, drove there, walked around the lake and returned, all within two hours.  We didn’t have a flat tire on the way.  There were no downed trees or washed away bridges preventing us from proceeding.  We didn’t have car trouble.  There were no roadblocks along the way, and no one tried to break into the car or rob us while we walked around the lake.  On the other hand, when we were missionaries, at least one of those things was likely to happen on any given trip.   A trip like the one we just took would have required much more planning.  We would have started packing the car the night before with water and emergency supplies, and we might never have reached our destination.  America is like Disneyland, and Americans don’t even realize how blessed we are.”

I smiled and agreed again, remembering many of my experiences abroad.  Roadblocks, car trouble, impassable roads, and plenty of flat tires were all part of our travel. 

Coming back from Guatemala, I again thought of that conversation.  The luxuries and efficiency we enjoy here are remarkable.  Even though my years in the U.S. now exceed my years abroad, there are still so many things that amaze me.

• We have hot running water.  Guatemala had hot water in the shower, but none in the kitchen.  In many of the places where we go, the only hot water is the water you heat on the stove. 
• I can drink water straight from the tap.  Often, when we first return, I find myself thinking twice about pouring a glass of water from the tap.  What a blessing!
• Mail is reliable and we do not have to pay a surcharge for having the mail delivered to our house.
• We can pay bills online or by mail instead of standing for hours in line to pay each bill.
• Roads are wide enough that you do not have to back up to a wide spot in order for an oncoming car to pass you.
• We can travel safely on highways at 65 or 75 miles per hour.   In Guatemala, it took us two hours to travel to the capital city, a distance of only 25 miles.
• We do not have to pass through checkpoints between states.
• Grocery stores do not run out of staples and stock similar things almost all the time.
• We get fresh produce in the grocery store all winter long.  We are not limited to the crops that are locally in season. 
• Internet is easily available.
• Septic systems allow you to flush your toilet paper.
• Policemen are your helpers and protectors.  If I am stopped and I am quite sure I have done nothing wrong, I do not fear them.  On the other hand, I  have been in countries where a stop by a policeman meant he was looking for a bribe.  Failure to pay that bribe could result in a short stay in a jail cell.  Thankfully, God kept me from having to pay that price for ignoring the obvious pleas for a bribe.

There are many others, but these are the ones I often find myself thanking God for when we return from a trip abroad.  So the next time you go to the sink and pour yourself a glass of water to drink, thank God for the placing you in a land where we live with fewer risks and many more luxuries than the rest of the world enjoys.

We are blessed far beyond what we ever would have deserved.  Thank you, Lord!