Reconciliation is where you find God. When you set aside all the antonyms of love – misunderstandings, divisions, old hatreds, superiority, pride – and replace them with everything associated with love – compassion, understanding, unity, affection, humility, forgiveness – that is where the presence of God is in abundance. And sometimes it’s painful because, above all else, this state requires humility. It requires admitting that all the bad parts of ourselves are real and because of this, we’re no better than anyone else.
I learned this most acutely when I took part in a six-week summer internship in 2011 called the Los Angeles Urban Project. During that time, I lived at Door of Hope, a transitional housing center for homeless families, in Northwest Pasadena and worked at Elizabeth House, a shelter for homeless pregnant women. Every week, we would receive teachings on social justice and God’s love for the poor and marginalized. One of the most poignant teachings was on racial reconciliation and cross-cultural ministry. During that time, I came face to face with my ingrained ethnocentrism (judging another culture solely by the values and standards of one’s own culture) and broke down many of the walls that stopped me from cherishing others who are not like me.
So when I heard of an opportunity to set aside a year to focus on loving God and my neighbor, to live and work within 11 different cultures, environments, and ministries, I thought back to that life-changing summer three years ago, and I wanted in. Enter the World Race. I want to go because I want to see God change my life and the lives of others. I want to see God reflected in the faces of my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. I want to see God in the faces of my teammates from all across the United States who have experienced life differently from me.
I will need A LOT of prayer and a lot of support. Please join me and partner with me as I raise funds for this trip. $15,000 is what it’s going to take.
If you would like to let me know that you’re praying for me, please click on “contact” in the left sidebar and drop me a note.
If you want to donate, you can go here.
I also recorded my favorite hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing and put it up for sale to raise funds for the trip. I’m singing and playing violin and guitar, so if that’s up your alley, you can help me out by purchasing the song! Go to nathaly.bandcamp.com to check it out!
