“One man
succeeds in everything, and so loses all. Another meets with nothing but crosses and disappointments, and thereby
gains more than all the world is worth.” William Law
“Love”
– Jesus
There is aconstant reminder of one of my teammates that we receive saying that, “God is
always good no matter what we think.” Realizing just how small we really are and fragile is an awe inspiring
Truth to us on this trip, but just as there is light, shadows have always
followed me, the questions of “Why?” Recently some of us watched the movie “The Killing Fields”, a
documentary on the mass genocide of the Cambodian people that almost took out a
third of their country, and how America
wasn’t a help in the situation. And as I
watched this movie based upon real events of a country I was only three months
ago at, I’m still seeing the effects of it there.
Just a week and a half ago I’m holding a
dying child from disease who has no hope at all. And while some places and people are soaking
up the “comforts and conveniences” of things that aren’t needed, countries
battle over politics and who has the biggest weapons, a family is watching this
baby die in their one room mudded house with nothing it can do.
dying child from disease who has no hope at all. And while some places and people are soaking
up the “comforts and conveniences” of things that aren’t needed, countries
battle over politics and who has the biggest weapons, a family is watching this
baby die in their one room mudded house with nothing it can do.
Our world is messed up without love! American government, no matter how proud Ican be, spends so much on military defense and bombs that could literally save
nations out of poverty, but they aren’t alone. Other developed countries are too busy promoting pornography and making
billions off of it that are breaking families, and we can’t touch it “in the
name of freedom of speech and press!” As
I sat and watched this movie I was quickly saddened by the evilness and sadness
in our world; of how morality and God has been put on a back burner and how
greed has kept our world from becoming what it should be. This little child, literal skin and bones with
pain in its eyes and veins on the forehead, would never be in this situation of
near death and such impoverished homes if we didn’t let imaginary country
boundary lines determine the value of humanity or which country is better, or
what is the next thing in church looks. In the secular
modern world, science is trying to replace religion as the answers to life, but
the other side affect has been the development of what can kill us over what
saves us. Take a person who isn’t able
to understand the reality of sin in our world and give them power, pain will
surely come no matter what promise of a better life. When will our love be that we are happy in
Jesus alone?
An email
from a friend named Jill said it best to me: “I will remember waking up to mosquito nets, and it
seeming like it was 150 degrees at night….visit some of the homes of the
people around me that were made of mud and no mosquito blankets and not clean
water to drink at night and no bathrooms to use in private and I sucked it up
and realized how lucky I was. The sad
part is, not many people care no matter how much they say. Most as scared to
step outside the bubble, I think most are even more scared of feeling guilty
for what they have. I also think most forget that we can’t chose where we are
born. We were blessed to be born here with tons of opportunities and fortune.
It seems most look down on people of other countries that are in poverty, like
they had a choice to succeed and do better and chose not to, and we both know
thats not true…..My point is, no one can chose where we are born so why look
down at people and turn our cheeks to people who weren’t as lucky as us? Even if its with a bible scripture or a big
hug to a child who hasn’t had one in a long time.”
from a friend named Jill said it best to me: “I will remember waking up to mosquito nets, and it
seeming like it was 150 degrees at night….visit some of the homes of the
people around me that were made of mud and no mosquito blankets and not clean
water to drink at night and no bathrooms to use in private and I sucked it up
and realized how lucky I was. The sad
part is, not many people care no matter how much they say. Most as scared to
step outside the bubble, I think most are even more scared of feeling guilty
for what they have. I also think most forget that we can’t chose where we are
born. We were blessed to be born here with tons of opportunities and fortune.
It seems most look down on people of other countries that are in poverty, like
they had a choice to succeed and do better and chose not to, and we both know
thats not true…..My point is, no one can chose where we are born so why look
down at people and turn our cheeks to people who weren’t as lucky as us? Even if its with a bible scripture or a big
hug to a child who hasn’t had one in a long time.”
I guess I could make this a happy blog, since most people prefer
to hear good stories of how God is leading people to him; and trust me that’s
been happening like crazy all week. But
yet, as each day goes and the more poverty I’m seeing, the lady who I met with
malaria and had a husband die from AIDS, Playboy trying to replace what real
love is, genocides and wars being now threatened at just the press of a button,
and nations rich as they are being little “generous” to nations that still have
families starving in a world they didn’t choose. I literally went to bed and wept. God I know you’re good, but why have you let
this go on? How many Sundays do we need
to show up dressed for church with the same dilemma outside those walls going
on even on our own streets? How many
drunks and homeless will we pass laying on the roads with no intention of
picking them up as the the Good Samaritan probably would?
to hear good stories of how God is leading people to him; and trust me that’s
been happening like crazy all week. But
yet, as each day goes and the more poverty I’m seeing, the lady who I met with
malaria and had a husband die from AIDS, Playboy trying to replace what real
love is, genocides and wars being now threatened at just the press of a button,
and nations rich as they are being little “generous” to nations that still have
families starving in a world they didn’t choose. I literally went to bed and wept. God I know you’re good, but why have you let
this go on? How many Sundays do we need
to show up dressed for church with the same dilemma outside those walls going
on even on our own streets? How many
drunks and homeless will we pass laying on the roads with no intention of
picking them up as the the Good Samaritan probably would?
Modern society is caught in a dilemma. We can afford to be optimistic about human
nature, those of us who live in prosperous nations with strong economies and
ever-rising life expectancies. Much as
we would wish otherwise, we have a deep, inescapable sense that something is
wrong with the world, with our neighbors, and even with ourselves.
I have been grieving over the seriousness of this broken world
and the sin that is everywhere, and it’s in front of my face each day as we go
out. Hope is not lost and I believe that
Rescue is truly coming. Superman in Superman Returns told Lois Lane, “You say the world doesn’t
need a Savior, but everyday I hear them crying for one.” God is love, but my God is a Just one too,
and there will be a day of judgement by Jesus. Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Rescue is God’s call for this world,
but for his people to be just a glimmer of light that He is truly the hope of
this dark world. We must be broken and
have compassion as Jesus did, and that means more than just saying it or
writing a check. It could take you out
of your comfort zone and not be your expectation, but Jesus never said it would
be easy. The risk is worth the changed
lives.
and the sin that is everywhere, and it’s in front of my face each day as we go
out. Hope is not lost and I believe that
Rescue is truly coming. Superman in Superman Returns told Lois Lane, “You say the world doesn’t
need a Savior, but everyday I hear them crying for one.” God is love, but my God is a Just one too,
and there will be a day of judgement by Jesus. Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Rescue is God’s call for this world,
but for his people to be just a glimmer of light that He is truly the hope of
this dark world. We must be broken and
have compassion as Jesus did, and that means more than just saying it or
writing a check. It could take you out
of your comfort zone and not be your expectation, but Jesus never said it would
be easy. The risk is worth the changed
lives.
“The world says, Mind your own
business, and Jesus says, There is no such thing as your own business. The world says, Follow the wisest course and
be a success, and Jesus says, Follow me and be crucified. The world says, Drive carefully- the life you
save may be your own – and Jesus says, Whoever would safe his life will lose
it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. The world says, Law and order, and Jesus
says, Love. The world says, Get, and
Jesus says, Give. In terms of the
world’s sanity, Jesus is crazy as a coot, and anybody who thinks he can follow
him without being a little crazy is too laboring less under the cross than
under a delusion. “We are fools for
Christ’s sake,” Paul says, faith says, the faith that ultimately the
foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men, the lunacy of Jesus saner
than the grim sanity of the world.” Frederick Buechner
business, and Jesus says, There is no such thing as your own business. The world says, Follow the wisest course and
be a success, and Jesus says, Follow me and be crucified. The world says, Drive carefully- the life you
save may be your own – and Jesus says, Whoever would safe his life will lose
it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. The world says, Law and order, and Jesus
says, Love. The world says, Get, and
Jesus says, Give. In terms of the
world’s sanity, Jesus is crazy as a coot, and anybody who thinks he can follow
him without being a little crazy is too laboring less under the cross than
under a delusion. “We are fools for
Christ’s sake,” Paul says, faith says, the faith that ultimately the
foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men, the lunacy of Jesus saner
than the grim sanity of the world.” Frederick Buechner
Islam is huge here
walking through the fields
Our usual transportation
*my home and tent as mosquito protection, they’re insane!
typical kitchen, usually outdoors
