Same, Same...but different.. - Explore Archived World Race Alumni Blogs

“Same, Same…but different…”

Let me paint a picture for you. Here we are in Viet Nam and it’s hot – real, real sticky, moist and sweaty hot. I’m not talking kind hot, but really hot. The kind of hot that makes you plan your entire day around any opportunity to avoid the sun.

So there we are in a church in the country side of the North East region of Viet Nam. Beads of sweat bubbling on the surface of my skin on to race down my back and congregate in a pool of more sweat. Everyone greeted us with such thanks and gratitude for being there. It was almost as if we had been there before, but different. The kind of welcome party that you only get when your coming home. There was something different about these people. Aside from the cultural differences and inability to remember, pronounce or even write down anyones name correctly, it was different.

None of those things seemed to matter once we were there. We worshipped in a church for about 30 min. and sang the same songs in 2 different languages, but it was different. The kinda different that doesn’t distract you from worshiping, but more so the kinda different that reveals how much more beautiful the bride Jesus is preparing really is.

Somehow, this happens every month. We show up with the expectation of being a blessing to those we see. And they bless us with songs, food, gifts, hugs, laughs, prayer and love.

Don’t get me wrong I’m sure that happens for them on one level of another, but it seems that every month we get blessed way more than we’ve been able to bless them. It’s obvious that for some it’s the gift that important and for others the giver is all that is needed.

It’s unbelievable how people who seemingly have nothing can scrounge up food, gifts and a willing heart to sing to people who they’ve never met with such passion and desire. Only to show the love of Christ the way they do and have this unconditional love that abundantly overflows…that is the heart of God’s chosen people.

I am blessed to be in the presence of people who are the same, but different.

After worship and the food I made a friend. His name is “Who”. No really, “Who”. Now I’m sure, as I’ve already mentioned, I somehow have already offended him by not pronouncing his name properly, or butchering it and I know I didn’t spell it right. When he wrote it down he had 7 characters, none of which I could see how any would flow together to pronounce anything like “who”. So for all intensive purposes…his name is “Who”.

Back to the story..I made a friend – Who! Wonderful Man of God. I would say.. mid 50’s early 60’s. And he knew quite a bit of broken english. Which is more than I can say for my less then effectively non-existent vietnamese. Don’t judge me..it’s harder than you think!

So “Who” comes up and says “same, same” with a big toothy smile and grabs my hand. And up to this point, I really didn’t know what he was talking about, but something inside me began to understand that God was showing me how we are all the same, but different. I think who was really showing how close our skin texture was (see hands holding in image below, one hand is mine and the other is his), but what I got out of it was much more. God has made us so unique and so gifted that we often over look how similar we are.

We are all called to see the likenesses in each other that attract us to appreciate the differences that much more. I heard someone say ” I know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort where we overlap.” Somewhere along the way, I’ve began to see where “we” overlap. The things that once were so subject to point out in life separating me from people, placing and things, no longer exists – it’s all the same, but different.

It’s the love that a father shows his daughter.. It’s the laughter of a child when playing at school..it’s the hospitality of a people to give when there isn’t much left…it’s the prayer of a missionary that brings the Christ of yesterday into someone’s life today…and it’s the belief of a woman struck with cancer that she will be healed that shows me, it’s all the same, but different.

And because I choose to appreciate the similarities and embrace the differences I see that life does have a meaning bigger than anyone can understand. It’s by faith that my life works. And it’s people like “Who” that have shown me that it’s by faith that his life works too.

I want to thank the people of Viet Nam that I’ve met. You have shown me that in this world we are all the same, but different and when we love without condition, dance with ambition, laugh without inhibition and live with a mission we too can see how same, but different we all are.

Only $2,500.00 left to be fully supported and only 40 days to do it..I believe..will you join me in supporting a cause greater than ourselves? Contribute online support here. ( https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=worldrace&desc=For%20Tres%20Washington&tuid=2032603 ) Or feel free to click the link to the left and to make a tax deductible online contribution today! Thanks for reading and God Bless!

(she welcomed me with a smile and then ran away. I think it’s because I smiled back…)