Jet Jockee

Too funny.
Facebook is reconnecting the world.
We just spent a few days connecting with a outrageously fun friend I've not seen since dating his brother in the early 80's.
Another lifetime ago.

But for the past 9 years I've known he is mutual friends with our colleagues, and last week I saw he was going to Thailand. So I posted on his wall:
YOU'RE SO CLOSE, YOU'VE GOT TO COME ON DOWN TO SINGAPORE!

He took up the invitation and is my son Cameron's new super hero.

Living in a modern city in the middle of South East Asia, a hub for travel elsewhere, we get a lot of guests coming through here on their way somewhere else. It's an interesting and regular part of our life that those we influence, or are influence by, often are people we only see for 2 hours or a few days and then may never see again.

So when I announced that an old friend of mine was coming to Singapore my boys, 12 and 16, rolled with it without rolling their eyes. Sure. They'd go out to lunch with another visitor friend of their parents they'd never met.

"I'm not going to tell you, but sometime over lunch, ask him what he does for work" I whispered to Tyler.

This friend hands a dollar bill out to each of my boys, "This is my bosses dad."

Seriously.

He's working for a wealthy family in the Middle East. He works 6 weeks wherever the plane is, then has 6 weeks back home in Seattle. This 4 months the plane is being serviced so he's seeing what there is to see in South East Asia and using up Marriott reward points enjoying the executive club and a room with a view.

What does a missionary family do to entertain a single man who for work hangs out in 5 star hotels of Monte Carlo or Paris waiting for his employer to decide where in the world they want to party next, or whether they'd like for the jet to courier some of his favorite fruit from their home town?

What could we possibly do that he may not have done before?

We took him to a FISH SPA, a new gimmick alternative to a Chinese foot massage. We spent 40 minutes letting the Turkish "Doctor FIsh" swarm our feet and nibble off dead skin.

A lot of living has gone on in more than 20 years since I've seen him as a teenager, but mannerisms, the sense of humor, the voice inflections, the twinkle in his eye as he talks about a prank or tells a joke comes out of a grown puppy-man who loves life and brings life and affection to everyone he touches.

And he touches a lot.

As I enjoy our first big bear hug, or see him throw Cameron in the pool, or watch him put his hand on the shoulder of the hotel's bell captain or the ice cream seller as he speaks to them (or the gals at the stoplight, in the RED BULL convertible, whom he asked for samples...and got4 cans by climbing across the backseat of their car and riding along with them to the next light!).

I am reminded how powerfully affirming and humanizing it is to warmly touch other people when we speak to them. Cultural appropriateness be damned! No one - not even strangers - seems to mind a hand on the shoulder, or a hug from the side. I'm encouraged by watching Randy to embrace my outgoing American culture and keep being generous with affection here.

I also believe that he's encouraged by spending time with his old friends here. I know he was observing things about us that influenced him. I'm not sure what, but he was loved on for the last 5 days. Days filled with rich memories, great conversations, a quick time of prayer. With our colleagues the Webbs, we were a chorus of voices from his past who can imagine the impact of what his ultimate contribution could be from his unique position.

Am I a dreamer to see in him a 21st Century Daniel or Joseph? Maybe. But as he heads off to Vietnam and Cambodia on this little Asia tour, I can hopefully envision and pray for the influence he will have as he spends time with God and then simply shares the genuine faith & relationship with Jesus part of who he is with the friends he makes, and touches, through his work.

If he can find a way to do that, the Holy Spirit can do the rest of the talking.