Where am I(that is pretty shameful self promotion)?… My team and I arrived in the Philippines yesterday(Sept.11) at 9:30 am after having had left Atlanta at 3:00 pm on Sept. 9… So we are not sure if September 10 existed. Today, we will be introduced to the organization that we will work with this month(until Oct. 10) and then tomorrow morning my team and I, as well as team sisterhood, will go to the KIM(Kids International Ministries) base on the island of Mindanao…. Apparently in the middle of banana and pineapple plantations!
Last week was a very good week of training in the ATL as the AIM staff really raised the expectations for us in terms of how we as racers look at Christian Community. The living conditions of the World Race are very similar to the living conditions in the old MTV show, “The Real World.” Essentially meaning that when you mix a bunch of people who don’t really know each other into a place where they live and work together it can be a recipe for drama… which I suppose is why people watched the “The Real World."
So what does community living look like? Whether you are living with a friend(s), family member, or staying in a hostel?
- High Preference – Preferring(or loving someone) over yourself. This can be very easy to do with the people we love the most but can be a persistent struggle with others… so I challenge you today… try preferring somebody you normally don’t prefer and see where your relationship goes.
- High Consideration – In humility count others more significant than yourself Philippians 2:3… Enough said
- High Safety – Respecting one’s identity and never compromising their physical, emotional, or spiritual well being.
- High Honor – In other words… are you valuing the people you live with by allowing them to express their opinions? Are you casting a vision for these people by casting a vision as to what they can be… not necessarily just where they are on Monday, Sept. 12, 2011? Are you speaking words of truth and life?… or are your words destroying them.
(If you are really interested in community living the essays and writings of Wendell Berry are incredibly insightful as well as sections of Shaine Claiborne’s book The Irresistible Revolution).
All for now!
Whatever the cost… thou has taught me to say… It is well… It is well… With my soul
Kevin
