So some missionaries we have met along the way have spirited us away to their house in Guatemala City and are treating us like kings and queens. We are completely in reverse culture shock marveling at the stocked refridgerator, mattresses, a microwave, a couch, the ability to walk around barefoot. It’s absolutely heaven. Glenn and Judy are amazing and have blessed us beyond what we could possibly express.
We are currently en route to Nicaragua where we will debrief our Guatemalan experience. It has been a week or so of bringing closure and I am learning something about myself: I like being busy. My team and I have talked about the balance between play and work and about making sure that work doesn’t become our spiritual obligation but an overflow of the heart, but the truth of the matter is: I enjoy being industrious! I love working on projects, I love utilizing my giftings, I truly enjoy being in relationship with people and being a part of something that is significant.
Cliche’s such as “make your life count” and “carpe diem” come to mind as I am processing it. The one thing I fear above all else is the trap of being lazy. Ministry is hard but it is life. Play time is great and incredibly necessary, but if I am not living a life of intentionality I am just another tourist in life. I recently had a conversation with a teammate about what truly differentiates us as Christian travelers. Non-Christians can build friendships with people. They can play with kids, they can help build a house, they can engage in humanitarian efforts, learn the language and truly show others that they care about them. In short, it is everything we have talked and celebrated about what we are doing on this trip. But the reality is: we are different but if we merely live the life of a friendly traveler, we miss out on the mission to which we have been called.
Where does Christ fit into my life and mission? Do I season my conversation with the salt of the love of Christ? Do I live intentionally and even desperately that the people I come into contact with need to hear of Christ’s saving grace? My team and I have been studying scriptures surrounding the phrase “the kingdom of heaven is near.” We are realizing that while this might mean that the end times are indeed imminent, the more frequent implication of this scripture is that God’s kingdom is close in proximity rather than a fearful day of judgment. So instead of selling ‘fire insurance’ we instead share with others the truth that Christ’s kingdom is close by and offers a life more abundant and satisfying than anything the world has to offer. It is a small distinction that makes all the difference in the world. It takes me from a friendly traveler to a missionary – and that is a difference worth living for.
Santiago Atitlan – one of the cities most harshly affected by the 2005 mud slides.
