One phrase I’ve noticed after being in Asia for four months (Asian persuasion indeed) is “same same.” It’s like once you find something in common with someone, you’re in, if you say those two magic words that officially makes you friends.
Our new team got shirts that say “same same” on the front, and on the back they say “but different,” just to add in the touristy cheese that we, of course, bought into. Yes team shirts may be a bit too much, but I could use a change of wardrobe and I’ve worn my USI screen tees to the bone.
Anyway, we’ve been telling our testimonies, or monies as I call them, with the new team to get to know each other. I’ve been reminded of the importance of people’s stories. Night after night I’ve sat through painful unfolding of my teammates’ past. So many struggles, scars, wounds, pain, and hurt. They’re full of exhausting defeat, unbelievable tragedy, unfair heartbreak, and excruciating consequences.
One monie night our entire team (minus Sarah who’s actually cool) was wearing the shirts we bought (we were matching all day just for the sake of one picture) As I listened to the beautifully messy journey of one of my teammates, I looked down at the cheesy matching shirt I was wearing, and it’s Asian message really dawned on me. “Same same but different” became profound in that moment because I realized that although we come from different places and have different experiences, we’re all the same same. Same Same in the fact that we’ve all been screwed up, trapped, and in pits of darkness in more ways than we’d like to admit- we’ve all had pain- our pain is from different things, but same same, in that pain is pain no matter the circumstances. We’re all same same in that we’re pretty lost right now on this trip, but for different reasons.
I truly believe, now more than ever, that we, (as in all humans on this earth) especially after seeing more of the world than I knew existed, are here for a reason. So the journey’s we’re on are important and valuable, and just so cool to hear. So, the point of sharing your monie isn’t just to wallow in the sadness, but it’s to point out how God’s redeemed, restored, and renewed life by giving us hope for more.
It’s just the dang cherry on top that I read this quote on the day I was going to share my monie with my team–“God is far too practical to allow your heritage to have absolutely nothing to do with your future…We are no longer under the authority of our pasts, but we are free to use them as they lend expression to our faith in Jesus.”
Just know that I’m thankful for the freedom here on my team to realize that we all really are “same same but different,” and the cool part is that we’re somehow still useable to God.
