It's been 4 years since I posted on this blog, but I plan to remedy that oversight, and be consistent from now on. Truthfully, I didn't have that much to say when I was closeted away in my house wishing I were somewhere else. Well, now I'm somewhere else. I've discovered that I can closet myself away just as easily here as there, as anywhere. As the saying goes, "you take yourself with you." In other words, if I'm going to withhold myself from others by wallowing in self pity or rage or discouragement, I'll do it no matter the geographic location. It takes a change of heart. Heart changes can be sudden, but the working out of the change is usually gradual, and, thank God, I've had some heart change.
I could find homeless, poor, grieving, hopeless people as well in Nevada as I could in this 3rd world country, but I didn't. I tried to be helpful and encouraging to those at work, but its difficult when you feel helpless and discouraged yourself. I thank God for a patient husband, and a patient God, who sees my heart and takes me from glory to glory. Sometimes the glory starts out looking like a combat zone, and surely there is glory to be had in the battle, but it always ends in peace if one surrenders. I surrender!
One of my keys to success has been to take one thing at a time. When I arrived here at City Mission with my husband 6 months ago, I had no idea what my new life would look like. Fortunately, our new boss wanted us to acclimatize slowly before we took on too much, so we were given time to get used to the culture and the organization before having to jump in all the way. Steve gradually but steadily worked his way into his position as Administration Manager in Port Moresby. I took longer. My first project was to begin doing group sessions with the women at the mission's battered women's shelter. The more I interacted with these women, the fewer excuses I had for, well... anything. They are amazing. They are hungry and smart and determined to better their lives. I was faced with the realization that there is no valid excuse for hopelessness. I've been through STUFF, but it pales in comparison to some of their stories. Tomorrow, I begin a class with some of the boys at the farm where we live. There are about 180 boys there, ages 16-30, who used to be on the street, usually homeless and most certainly involved in criminal activity, but wanting to get out of it and find a better life. They learn about God, Literacy, vocational skills, and job training. I will be taking some of the boys who probably don't speak much English, and who never made it to 2nd grade. I have no idea what to expect, but I expect that I will be making a difference, because I am determined to go in there with faith, a positive attitude, and a willingness to "get my hands dirty." I really won't mind if these boys have TB or the AIDS virus, or have washed their hands since they used the bathroom. I can't say I don't care, but I'm not going to mind, because I've reviewed the promise that we can take up snakes and scorpions and they won't harm us if we're in pursuit of Extending His Kingdom, and because I need to put my money where my mouth is. Faith without works is, indeed, dead.
