This month contentment has come rather easily. We have a TV in our room, WiFi that’s good enough to Skype, and everyone on my team has their own mattress with sheets and blankets and pillows. We have access to several clean toilets, and 1 even has a toilet seat. We have a shower with hot water and a few buckets to do our laundry. The Pastor’s wife cooks our meals at their home and the weather is great. We’re a 5 min walk from the market with everything close by.
Last month we had a great set up as well; our hosts owned a fantastic hotel and cooked meals for us! However, we also got to see and briefly experience the other end of the spectrum. There were several days we would go to outlying communities to spend time with the churches there.
Most of the houses had mud walls, mud floors, they dried out their meat inside which created quite the aroma, everything they owned was in their 1 room house, and it wasn’t much. The houses often had a few sets of clothes drying and a few very humble looking beds.
Most adults had more teeth missing than we’re still in their mouths, and I’m not sure how often they washed their clothes or if they were just permanently stained and old. Several of these communities didn’t even have toilets. In one place I asked where the bathroom was and the lady walked me to the prime area of the woods that had the best selection of places to relieve oneself. (It did have a great view though, check it out below!)
At first I thought that it was kind of neat and rustic, kind of like primitive camping. Then I couldn’t help but wonder what life would be like to live that way every day of my life and not know any different. Coming from a much more monetarily privileged American lifestyle I couldn’t help but cringe at the thought of having to live there all the time. I even found myself thanking God we didn’t have to live in 1 of those places for the whole month. BUT the hope and joy that radiated from these people’s lives was incomparable to anything I’ve seen. They have almost nothing, but they have Jesus, and He is enough. He is everything.
After a church service in the small town of Aten, we prayed for a 92 year old blind woman who walks 2 hrs each way to and from church each week. Someone from the church walks to get her and help her find her way there and back. That would give me reason to stay home. But this woman recognizes the importance of the fellowship of believers, she believes in the power of prayer, and she knows God is good and worthy.
I cannot help but think of Paul in Philippians 4:11-13, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
I have definitely been challenged in this on a whole new level. Do I rely on Christ’s strength to be content no matter what life holds? No matter where I live? No matter what I have or don’t have? Do I live like HE is enough for me?
Live Well,
Crystal
Money Update: I only have $1,900 more to go by July 1st! If you’d like to join in this journey with me through financial support just click on the ‘Support Me’ tab to the left under my profile picture!
Sent from my iPod
