Friends Far Away

A friend from Burundi wrote me an email today.

"what is keeping you from coming? We will invade your country and pick you! Ha..ha!"

My response to him. "Oh Herve, If I saw you running at me looking as if you were going to kidnap me I would be so happy!!!"

Peace

It's amazing how someone can speak into another person's life only sharing their own experiences. I was given a DVD of a talk Phil Vischer did back in 2007. He spoke of how God gave him this dream of Veggie Tales and then ripped it from him. I find myself in a similar situation. I had all this time and effort put into starting something with special education in Burundi and then wham I'm not allowed to return.In talking with my dad I realized that I needed to allow myself to be content with the work I had done. I thought that all my time and efforts were wasted. My dad quickly pointed out that the ten students I taught for a year would strongly disagree and he would too. Perhaps teaching at Hope was only intended for a season that has now closed. The proposal I wrote for an education facility for those with disabilities still sits in the office of president of the university, my students did learn something (I tested them to make sure) and those around me while living there made a difference on me. My time was not wasted. I committed to serve a year and I did just that.
With this new vantage point my heart is at peace and I can move on. On to what, I don't know. I'm convinced that God is more concerned in who I am then what I do. So I am taking time to focus on just that, being who he created me to be. The bible says that God created good works for me to do before I was even born. So instead of searching for something to now I am now going to wait for those good works to come up and step into them with joy.

This doesn't take away from the ache in my heart when I receive an email from students and friends at Hope Africa University. Jean Pierre writes, "Think you my professor, I am at the end to finish my study, who are you now we wait you" Translation: Thank you my professor, I am about to finish my studies. Where are you now? We are waiting for you."

Excuses

Why is it that everyone I talk to seems to have an excuse of why I can't serve?

You don't have your master's degree.
You're single.
You're young.
You don't have enough experience.
You're a girl.

and my least favorite
This is what happened to me when I was your age, you'll make it through.

When did this become about me and my abilities? I thought that serving the Lord was about Him.

And to address the last excuse just because people treated you badly and you happened to learn and grow in spite of it doesn't mean that people should treat other people the same way. What happened to learning from history and not making the same mistakes?

I don't want excuses. If you don't want me to serve just tell me no and take responsibility for your denial of me. Don't just make excuses.