Monday, June 7, 2010

a few days here

and it's awesome! and i have more internet access than i probably should. but i guess that's really good for you all. so here's what's going to happen. i'm going to put up some pictures, with some captions, and talk a little bit about a combination of nothing and everything.

best sunset ever, in seattle.
the view from my room, which is on a balcony. this house is so colorful! and the plants are lovely, and it helps that it rains a lot, so i can open my door and see and smell it.
i wear my TOMS in guatemala. and they are still amazingly comfortable, and perfectly suited for the environment here. i definitely believe in this cause.

i know this isn't a large, or satisfying amount of pictures, but they will come. if you have patience.

so back to nothing/everything. it's nothing because it's just a bunch of thoughts, and i don't really know what to do about it. it's everything because... well, it is.

so i'm the only person here who loves Jesus. and i'm disgusted by it. not by everyone else, but by Christians. what the heck? are we really so disillusioned by our distorted views of mission trips that we think people in developing countries only need houses built and bibles passed out? well that's wrong. it's just plain wrong.

people need wheelchairs and and hope and jobs and money and ways to expand their businesses and encouragement and fun and safety and friends and cell phones and the God that loves and cares for them and has a plan for their life just like He does ours.

sometimes people don't need bigger or nicer houses or a book they can barely read or an education that they won't use while they take care of their farms or electricity or different clothes or hygiene products or the false God that cares about them when we're around to teach and bless them, but mysteriously disappears when we leave that we sometimes bring with us when we give them these things.

and the people i'm with right now almost get it. i say almost because they are giving these people EXACTLY what their physical needs require, they know they are some of the smartest people in the world and they're going to take advantage of every last ounce of their intelligence, but they lack the ability to give spiritually. understandable. they are smart, their using their education for other people's needs, not theirs (albeit, they are feeding their pride). why don't we do that? why don't we go to college to get jobs for other people and not ourselves? why are we content to go on week long mission trips only to talk, talk, talk about Jesus, and leave, when we don't actually do what He says, and take care of the orphans and widows?

derek prince made a great point in his book, secrets of a prayer warrior. if the rapture happened today, would the world miss us?

...i don't think so. but i don't know how to mobilize people either

Saturday, June 5, 2010

some specifics

i'm going to guatemala. you know that.

i'm doing this:

helping finish the design of the LFC (what's an LFC? Find out here.).
helping to start manufacturing the LFC.
hanging out with TUPC's youth group while they are on a mission trip.

hopefully i'll be doing this too:

relearning some serious amounts of spanish.
reading A LOT.
learning out mechanical engineering works in the real world.
seriously experiencing God's love.

you can pray for this:
that me or my group doesn't get sick or injured.
that the series of unfortunate natural disasters would subside whilst i'm in guatemala.
that we have a great partnership with the foundation we're working with.
that i can witness God's love to everyone i come in contact with. even just a little bit.
that i get serious about documenting my emotions.

thanks!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

iré a Guatemala

i am going to guatemala! i'm so excited for adventure and hard work and culture and time to sit and read. no distractions. pray for me please. :)

some songs in my head:

if it's love - train
eden - phil wickham
give up the funk - glee

i've eaten so much yogurt in the last two weeks, and i love it.

but the worst part about adventure is that i have to leave home. :(

do you have any good books to recommend?