La Pintana, Chile
Casa Esperanza (House of Hope)
Week 2
Written 10/23/17
The plan was to have this blog written before Sunday, and upload it on Sunday when my team and I traveled to a nice area of Santiago, called Los Dominicos, but that did not happen. We knew we would find wifi there at the mall, so that was the game plan. But to be honest, I didn’t really feel guilty about not having it done yet, and I didn’t really know why because I knew that it was required and important….Today, I realized why I didn’t feel guilty. Today, I realized what I was supposed to write about.
I cant speak for other racers, but I can speak for myself when I tell you that there is this weird kind of pressure to make our blogs “sparkle” (as I used to tell my students when I taught 4th grade writing). There’s this unnecessary expectation I put on myself to write something brilliant or have some grand revelation, which would be awesome, but is not always the case. Because while we are in another country, emerged in a different culture, learning a different language, and doing “mission work,” we are really just doing life over here and loving people like we would at home, too. Is it meaningful? Is it worth the cost? Is it to further the Kingdom of God? ABSOLUTELY! But shouldn’t we already be on “mission” in our everyday life if we are Christians? All that to say, while what my team and I are doing may look and sound glamorous, we are really just doing life and walking out the Gospel. (Not downplaying the Gospel at all, just trying to add some perspective) Some days amazing things happen and there are new and life-changing revelations, but some days are just about “finding the majesty in the mundane,” as my teammate, Bry, would say. Hopefully this is making sense.
This blog is about finding the majesty in, what may seem to be, the mundane.
Every weeknight we have “once” (pronounced own-say, which is also a Spanish word for the number 11) which is our small meal served with tea or coffee that the whole house sits down and shares together in the evening. There could be anywhere between 15-25 people sharing “once” together each night, which is awesome. Usually one of our hosts, Estefania, prepares a devotional to share with the girls during once.
Tonight, as the seven of us sat down for “once” with the teenage girls who live here, our hosts, Laura (a girl living here this month from France) and a woman who works at the orphanage, the Holy Spirit took my heart and just melted it into a puddle. We started off with Daniel, our main host, playing guitar while we corporately sang “Oceans” by Hillsong. (This is one of the songs that I would consider a life song for myself, that I can play when my soul needs restoration, when I feel like I’m spinning out of control, when I’m hurting, when I am thankful, when I’m complacent, when I’m doubting, when I’m joyous, when I’m lost, or really in any circumstance when I am seeking His presence and He shows up with whatever it is I’m needing from Him). Also, if you really know me, you know how I love just the sound of a guitar and someone singing. It makes my heart very very happy. Okay, so that’s pretty awesome.
Next, we dive into a devotional together, which is in English and in Spanish…so freaking cool…and it refers to the following two verses:
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one-as you are in Me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”
John 17:20-23
“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.”
Psalm 16:11
Okay, wow. Jesus lives in me. I live with Him now and forever. He prayed about me 2,000 years ago. He wants us to be unified, always. Talk about intimacy, people. FROM THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE. Wow.
So at this point, I am listening, but He still hasn’t pulled on my heart strings quite yet. I’m just now kind of soaking up those little nuggets. Can you believe that? Sure you can. We’ve all done been there. Anyways….
A girl named Genesis, who lives in the house here and I think is about 17 or so, was sitting next to me during this time. Throughout our devotional time and conversation she was being goofy and making a mustache out of the hair from her head. Typical teenage girl LOL. We did prayer requests and praises, then the woman from the orphanage prayed for all of us.
This is where He did it…turned my heart into a puddle on the dang floor.
While we are praying, Genesis, the girl who is “difficult, rebellious at times, and doesn’t like to follow the rules,” but who is simultaneously so full of love and smiles, puts her head on my shoulder and starts playing with my hair. She continues to do this until we all say, “Amen.” I’ve known her two weeks. We don’t speak the same language. We are about 10 years apart in age difference. She has been through who knows what kind of traumatic situations in her life already, but the love of God has no boundaries, y’all. It was in this moment, that I realized that I don’t want to leave here. I realized that I love these girls, I love their smiles, I love their hot messes, and I love doing life with them. I realized I’m going to have to leave in two weeks and do this whole “good-bye” process all over again! And this is what will probably happen every single month for the next 10 months after this. What was I thinking?!
I wasn’t.
But He was. He knew the connection we would make. He knew the love we would share. He wasn’t scared to tear down boundaries to show His children how much He loves them and how big He is. (I’m talking about her AND I.) He’s not intimidated by cultural differences, or language barriers, or age differences, or different religious beliefs, or past experiences, or preconceptions. He’s God. He loves recklessly and will go to any and all lengths to chase after His sheep. I’m just thankful that if this is the only story I have to tell (which it’s not), that I can say that Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, chose to take me, just a 27 year old girl, out of my comfort zone and into the unknown, so that someone across the world would feel like they were safe and loved. She didn’t give her life to Christ tonight, we didn’t see physical healings, and no one preached a sermon. However, there was a mutual feeling of love, security, comfort and peace.
And that my friends, is finding the majesty in the mundane. And I think something to write about and share.
Love you 🙂
xoxo
