Monday, August 20, 2007

Uganda, Afghanistan, Calgary. . .

My inlaws are in town, which don't get me wrong, is great, but I thought I'd step away from them and write a bit. If you haven't figured it out yet, I write in order to work stuff out. Here's what's been on my mind as of late.

For one, I've been keeping up with my good buddies Ty, Kori and Kris as they experience Uganda. If you haven't done so yourself I highly recommend you do. Exciting, Inspiring and Engrossing stuff. In fact, as I read, specifically the stuff related to thier mission not poop, I can't help but wonder if there is anything of significance I have ever done. Please let me question, I'm not looking for reassurance here, just wondering out loud. I realize ministering to a Calgarian and a Ugandan is the same in terms of importance, 2 human beings, but still I read their reports and I feel this incredible burden that what their doing is so needed yet here I am just tinkering around in Calgary doing God knows what with teenagers who may or may not be benefiting.

I've also been reading this book called Three Cups of Tea. Its a true story and wowwee its been working overtime on me. This guy named Greg set out to climb K2 only to get lost and disoriented until the day he wondered into an indigeneous village in Afghanistan and collapsed. When he awoke he was being cared for by what would turn out to be the most remarkable people he had ever met. In fact, Greg was the first outsider to the village in a couple hundred years. The people nursed him back to health and Greg quickly realized that they were as poor as they were generous - which demands a second read. The children in the village had no school yet they met faithfully every day in a dirt field where the only person who wasn't completely illiterate would attempt to teach them. The day Greg left he vowed he'd be back to build them a school. That's what I've read up too. A quick glance of the back of the book will tell you that Greg did indeed return. Anyways, having just read The Kite Runner my mind was already stuck in Afghanistan so this book has just kept me there.

Friends bringing joy to hundreds of Ugandan children. A mountain climber making promises to indigenous people in Afghanistan. A minister in Calgary distracted by these things whilst his family cries out for the 5th time that "its time to play Trivial Pursuit." The minister stops his thinking and goes.

John

1 comment:

chelsey said...

i think i know what you mean... lately i've been feeling like i wish i lived in a setting where i made more of a difference, like people depended on me and i depended on them. i just feel like i depend on myself most of the time, i just do things, i don't really ask for help even if i need it, and no one usually asks me to help them either. i know it's cheesy but i was watching extreme home makeover and this woman lived in a community where they really had nothing and they all needed each other and were so important to each other. it really got me longing for something like that... either i need to learn how to be like that where i am or ... SOMETHING... (lots of jumbled thoughts)