I’ve made fun of bloggers my entire life. They are all in desperate need of a wedgie. I picture them lurking around mom and dad’s basement, t-shirt tucked into gym shorts, concocting one looney conspiracy theory after another. The word itself is nerdy and can only be said with nasal congestion… bl“awwwggg”er.
And that’s me now: Trey, the dwerb blogger. And to all you who blog (those that I’ve surely offended), I’m dang proud to join your ranks. So, with inhaler held high, like a sword to the heavens, let me tell you why:
On September 9th, I left home with only a hiking pack on my back, knowing I wouldn’t return for another 11 months. I’m a stranger in Asia for the next year, my only companionship being 6 of the 29 crazies who embarked on this journey with me (the other 23 are on different teams). We travel to 11 different Asian countries over 11 months, and our goal is simple and unified: go serve and love people, all in the name of Jesus Christ.
Many of these people are outcasts and strangers in their own land, and it is for them I blog. Let me introduce them: they are the poor, the diseased, and the orphaned. The sex-trafficked, Tsunami-battered, and earthquake-ridden; they are the oppressed and the hopeless, and almost all are without a voice.
And this is where you come in, Christian or not (because I’m not naïve enough to believe only Christians can share a little love in this world). I have an opportunity to hear their voice and share their stories, so all I ask of you is to read them. Because I have this hope, that just maybe, we- a group of blessed people- can touch the lives of complete strangers by simply taking some time to think and care about them. This blog can be a platform to share their hurt. Who knows what will come of it. Maybe there will be ways we can help them, or, maybe, their stories will help us. For as much hurt as there is in the poor places of Asia, God is already at work, and people are experiencing inexplicable joy and victory.
I’ll close by saying two more things. First, thank you to anyone reading this; I know at least 100 of you- you irreplaceable people who make home worth missing. Your love and support inspires me to be better, and I really do thank God for you. To the rest, those I don’t know, you are so kind to read or share this.
Lastly, I want to make my heart clear. Everything I do and will do in Asia is rooted in Jesus. He endured the world’s greatest display of estrangement on the cross, and it is for this truth I exist in Asia. He died a stranger so we don’t have to. To me, this is true freedom. Please, join with me in sharing this over the next year.
