9/28/17
If you’ve ever been on a mission trip outside of the United States, you have seen the way people of developing countries live. You have seen their homes, what they eat (or don’t eat), and their daily routines. Living to survive is far from how we live in America. We live for pleasure. Our goal is to make everything as easy and painless as possible so we can enjoy more. One of the biggest take aways from mission trips is how happy people are living with less.
After going on 2 short term mission trips, and now living in rural Swaziland for 2 1/2 weeks, I think this is something we say to make ourselves feel better about what we see, because through the smiles you can see true pain. Physical pain from carrying water, emotional pain from broken relationships, stomach pain from missed meals, pain knowing they can’t afford to finish school, the list goes on. I’m not saying Swazis lack real joy and happiness, but I’m trying to show the truth, because we cannot deny the brokenness we are seeing.
Yesterday, at our ministry site, my teammate Kendra had a conversation with a 15 year old girl in high school. For some reason this girl was not in school on this day, which already made me sad, and then as Kendra described the World Race her eyes lit up. She told us that she has always wanted to go the India, more than America, and her dream is to finish high school, go to college, and then travel. As excited as she was about this plan, you could tell that as she was talking she knew it was not possible. Sweet Kendra encouraged her, and told her she hopes she gets to travel one day.
Later in the same day, I was sitting with my friend at the care-point, Patience. Patience is 12, and in 5th grade. She was showing me all her homework and her new science book. As she showed me, she was feeding me her meal of rice and soy protein. This might have been her only meal that day, but she really wanted to share with me, so I ate bite after bite. Before she left for home Patience asked me to write her a letter I her notebook. I told her I hope she finishes school, and most importantly, has a strong relationship with Jesus. I told her she can do anything through Him who gives her strength. In a place filled with so much hopelessness, the only thing I can offer is relationship with the one God who loves unconditionally and gives true peace and joy.
If we only see happiness, then there is no need for God. Everyone is broken, the world is not perfect, therefore we must rely on God everyday to fill us up. This is our purpose as Christians, to go to the nations and show others the life you can have in Christ. Let Him rock your world.
