Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the movie, “The Matrix.” If you haven’t seen it, stop reading this post immediately and go watch it. Good. Now that you’re back, I think you’ll have a better understanding of where I’m coming from.
So the main character Neo is stuck. He’s stuck in a rut of a cubicle existence just meddling his way through life. He’s given the choice to go on living the way he always has, or to follow an unknown path that will be painful, yet show him what life is really all about. He chooses plan B and is awakened to a reality that shakes him to the core.
We’re coming up on our 4 week anniversary here in Mexico. I can hardly believe it. In some ways it has gone really fast, and in some ways it feels like we’ve been here for years. Moments of great loneliness wash over us. We have times when we question everything we’re doing here. Simple daily tasks of bathing, drinking, and eating take much longer than they should and by the end of each day, we lay down exhausted wondering if we’ve accomplished anything.
At this point, we feel like we’ve been camping for 4 weeks and the initial excitement and fascination of being in a new country has begun to ware off. It’s kind of like, OK this is not just a vacation, this is real life and there’s real work to be done. We had a chance to pray for a lady the other day that was just diagnosed with a terrible form of cancer. Yuck! I hate cancer and the effects it has on the human body. It truly makes me sick to my stomach. Sometimes I feel like our work here is moving inch-by-inch but when we prayed for her, I was reminded of what someone told us, that simply by being here, carrying the Holy Spirit into each situation is undoubtedly going to change lives. And isn’t that the point…to see lives changed.
I’m constantly blown away by the amount of work to be done here. Right in the back yard of America are millions living with tainted water supplies, corrupt government and local officials, hopeless in many ways and simply getting by. Mexico was never my first choice of a mission field and I was reluctant to come down here. However, the more I see and the more people I meet, the more my heart melts and my vision increases. But what can I do in one lifetime? There’s so much to be done that sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Sometimes I feel paralyzed by what we face and just want to give up and head back to Colorado. Oh, how we use to complain that our house was too small or we didn’t have a nice enough this or a nice enough that. Wow! Now we’re totally thrilled to take a hot shower and sleep in a place that is not filled with bugs. Our old house seems like a mansion, and in ways we thought we were poor, we actually lived in opulent wealth. I remember a couple years ago, the night I came home from India, Smith and Zaisy were fighting over a cup of milk when we had a couple of gallons in the fridge. I broke down in great sobbing cries and I had a hard time containing my emotions. Don’t be deceived, not matter how hard or how poor you think you are in America, you have so much more than most.
We moved here to see lives changed, and so far I think it’s our lives that have changed the most. Perspective changes so much. I don’t think I will ever again long for a gigantic house filled with stuff. The people here live with great contentment in what most would consider shacks. I can see we have so many great things to teach and to share, and yet maybe we have more to learn from them then they do from us.
So the Matrix of our reality has been busted wide open. We are so grateful to be down here and are so appreciative of the many sacrifices that so many make for us to be here. We will push on through the loneliness, and through the pain of separation of everything we’ve always known. We will continue to push and shatter the limits of our comfort zones. And if one life is changed, if we can bring a smile to one face each day, if one person can come to know Jesus, every single sacrifice we have made will be well worth it.
So thank you all for everything you do to make this all possible. For the King and His Kingdom!!!
So the main character Neo is stuck. He’s stuck in a rut of a cubicle existence just meddling his way through life. He’s given the choice to go on living the way he always has, or to follow an unknown path that will be painful, yet show him what life is really all about. He chooses plan B and is awakened to a reality that shakes him to the core.
We’re coming up on our 4 week anniversary here in Mexico. I can hardly believe it. In some ways it has gone really fast, and in some ways it feels like we’ve been here for years. Moments of great loneliness wash over us. We have times when we question everything we’re doing here. Simple daily tasks of bathing, drinking, and eating take much longer than they should and by the end of each day, we lay down exhausted wondering if we’ve accomplished anything.
At this point, we feel like we’ve been camping for 4 weeks and the initial excitement and fascination of being in a new country has begun to ware off. It’s kind of like, OK this is not just a vacation, this is real life and there’s real work to be done. We had a chance to pray for a lady the other day that was just diagnosed with a terrible form of cancer. Yuck! I hate cancer and the effects it has on the human body. It truly makes me sick to my stomach. Sometimes I feel like our work here is moving inch-by-inch but when we prayed for her, I was reminded of what someone told us, that simply by being here, carrying the Holy Spirit into each situation is undoubtedly going to change lives. And isn’t that the point…to see lives changed.
I’m constantly blown away by the amount of work to be done here. Right in the back yard of America are millions living with tainted water supplies, corrupt government and local officials, hopeless in many ways and simply getting by. Mexico was never my first choice of a mission field and I was reluctant to come down here. However, the more I see and the more people I meet, the more my heart melts and my vision increases. But what can I do in one lifetime? There’s so much to be done that sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Sometimes I feel paralyzed by what we face and just want to give up and head back to Colorado. Oh, how we use to complain that our house was too small or we didn’t have a nice enough this or a nice enough that. Wow! Now we’re totally thrilled to take a hot shower and sleep in a place that is not filled with bugs. Our old house seems like a mansion, and in ways we thought we were poor, we actually lived in opulent wealth. I remember a couple years ago, the night I came home from India, Smith and Zaisy were fighting over a cup of milk when we had a couple of gallons in the fridge. I broke down in great sobbing cries and I had a hard time containing my emotions. Don’t be deceived, not matter how hard or how poor you think you are in America, you have so much more than most.
We moved here to see lives changed, and so far I think it’s our lives that have changed the most. Perspective changes so much. I don’t think I will ever again long for a gigantic house filled with stuff. The people here live with great contentment in what most would consider shacks. I can see we have so many great things to teach and to share, and yet maybe we have more to learn from them then they do from us.
So the Matrix of our reality has been busted wide open. We are so grateful to be down here and are so appreciative of the many sacrifices that so many make for us to be here. We will push on through the loneliness, and through the pain of separation of everything we’ve always known. We will continue to push and shatter the limits of our comfort zones. And if one life is changed, if we can bring a smile to one face each day, if one person can come to know Jesus, every single sacrifice we have made will be well worth it.
So thank you all for everything you do to make this all possible. For the King and His Kingdom!!!
3 comments:
Proud of you...
D,C,H,A,baby...
So your ego has been snapped, your heart has been cracked wide open and you feel like you are about to pop just like the scene in the matrix where he finally unplugged. Deconstruction is such a wonderful thing, all be it painful.
As one still dwelling in the cubicle and living vicariously through you and your family I appreciate the updates.
We love you guys!
Do you ever wonder why Jesus came at the time He did? He came during a time before air travel and even air conditioned cars. He truly understands your discomfort and is there with you every day through all the hard, hot, lonely times. He knows exactly what you're feeling and even more. But from a greater perspective, He knows what He has in store for all of us if we continue to walk the walk and grasp hold of the faith that is the answer to every need and every question we will ever have. Love you son.
Post a Comment