A friend of mine came into my work, and he just got back from being in the Philippines for two months. He looked even skinnier than usual, and had a sort of ruggedness air to him that I could tell he had been in another country for a while. I was able to feel once again for a few moments that it was one of the days I had just got back from Ecuador, and for a few moments, my workplace and the world around me seemed foreign to me.
He was telling me some of the differences that he experienced with being in their culture, such as how much more relationship-oriented they are.
He lived among poor families like I did. I will never forget him telling me, "They have a better life than I do."
I can really relate to that feeling....living in a house that most in the US would look at and consider to be poor, but it doesn't take you long to realize how very rich they are. The joy I've experienced in that kind of situation and being around those people is more than I've ever experienced where I live now.
This is a huge thing that has grown me in my desire for missions. Being in such a close-knit community of believers who don't have much materially, but the fact that they are are so richly blessed spiritually more than compensates for that.
It's something you can never fully understand unless you end up in that situation. And how blessed you are if you happen to get the opportunity to.
Thank you Lord for the couple of moments I was able to feel that way again yesterday.
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