It was a stark contrast for me leaving Berlin, Germany where I experienced God in a new way (creativity through technology to sum it up in a few words) to living in Ocnita, Moldova. After a 26 hour bus ride and pure exhaustion, not going to lie I was really crabby when they told us we were living in our tents. Basically they left us in the middle of nowhere for the past three days. We are right on the border of Ukraine. On our drive out I had to remember I am still on the race and no matter where I go I cannot expect anything but I must live with expectancy. So we were dropped off and told to make camp. They would be back for us in three days. For these three days we had one agenda… rest.
But on top of all of that I was brought back to the basics. Remembering that I do not need all the ‘conveniences’ of life to have joy… in fact I think I have more when I am out in the elements of creation. There is something about waking up in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere and looking up where all you can see are stars unhindered by any other light. There is something about drinking water from a stream instead of an $8 Evian bottle. There is something about taking a shower in the freezing river that awakens life. There is something about worshiping around a bon fire with an amazing community who is content being out here in the “basics.�
Technology is a sneaky little guy that robs the human species of the reality of life. Technology makes people lose touch with earth. Having artificial heat and AC is a sore reaction to uncomfortably of the seasons (yet you miss out on feeling sweat drip down your face from actually working, and you miss out on when your breath gets taken away when you step outside in the winter). The cars we drive rob us of taking steps on untrotted beautiful land. Concrete, shoes, and carpet rob us of feeling the grass in between our toes on a nice summer day. Technology has created a world that we live on, not in.
Being out in the middle of nowhere gives me time to clear my crowded mind. I am completely unplugged from the outside world. I cannot check my email, update my facebook, check CNN, nothing. All I can focus on is the here and now and making the most of it. And who would have guessed… but I love it.
Whenever someone is questioning the existence of God I recommend one thing… get yourself a good group of people (that might be objective but I think you know what I mean) and go to the middle of nowhere to sleep under the stars, drink water out of a stream, and admire the huge creation. Days like this make one feel so small yet the center of the universe at the same time. I think of someone like Job, who went through hell and back. He went on and on blaming God for how his life went wrong. He accused God constantly. The whole time God was silent but really Job just wasn’t listening. Evidence of God grace is all around. Finally God spoke where Job could hear him. God never answered any of Job’s questions. God just asked Job more questions himself. He asked Job questions like “who created the earth and determined its size� and “who makes the sun rise in the morning or set at night� and “do you know where light dwells?� In fact God goes on for 106 verses asking Job questions about himself. Basically God sets Job straight. Basically God set me straight by bringing me out to the middle of nowhere with good people.
