September 25, 2010

One Month in the States

Well, we have officially been in the States a little over a month now. It is an odd reality. It has been exciting, refreshing, and wonderful but also challenging, overwhelming, and humbling. I often find myself vascilating between celebrating some little thing like being able to be out at night without considering getting malaria and missing the simplier, slower pace of life in Mozambique. Sometimes it seems too much to take it all in and hard to even process the two completely opposite worlds. I find myself engaged in both and they seem to run parallel through my mind but I find it difficult when they intersect. For example entering the grocery store....In one way I am excited to find fresh fruits, veggies, familiar things that I have missed like sour cream, fresh milk, and the convenience of having just about anything I could want in an instant. In another way, I am overcome with emotion seeing how much is available and knowing that many I know will struggle just to have food for feeding their families and will possibly go to bed hungry TONIGHT.

My desire and I believe God's intention for me is to not feel guilty but for my heart to remain compassionate and stirred for those I love that suffer in the midst of poverty.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Andrea, I know exactly what you mean. Especially anytime I struggle with contentment, I remind myself that there are so many less fortune than I. But I love your last line in this post. You have such a gentle heart, open to God's plan for you. It always encourages me.