This is a very unique month. We have all the ‘comfortable amenities’ that I took for granted at home: my own bed, bathroom with running hot water (western toilet!), internet, kitchen with stove top and oven, and last but not least heat in the room!
Yes, I don’t find it a coincident that as we’re approaching the ‘home stretch’, the final continent, no more time zone changes!, God has given us all these amenities that we’ll have at home as a challenge. When everything is stripped away it’s easy to pursue quality time with your teammates (Africa) or with Him because frankly there is not much else you can do to entertain yourself, but here (like at home) we have a choice. This building is huge, built for about 100 ppl, it’s easy to pick a room and not see anyone all day, surfin the net, catching up on the news, fashion or my personal favorite watching Vampire Diaries!
Today we had a discussion about technology at the table during a meal. Anyone that knows me knows that I think my iPhone completes me and is the handiest thing since sliced bread. So I find myself surfing the net or dictionary.com-ing something whenever and where ever I want. Today we decided we want to fight for meal times and found it as an awesome challenge to myself to interact with the people in front of me vs. the people on the screen. I do believe this is something I’ll take home with me too.
Tonight after dinner we put the technology aside and played our first team card game this month. It was ridiculous and fun and we laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. And this is what community is about, turning off the TV, closing the computer, putting down the phone or book, and starting to invest in those around you or more importantly spending that 30 min you’d spend watching Modern Family and spend it with God. I don’t want to live my life without people, so I need to start investing.
(I’m not preaching this to you readers, I’m preaching to myself.)
