We have completed another full day of Journey Groups and I have a good internet connection for the moment, so I will send a quick update.
I stand in awe of the many things I have experienced this week that transcend culture:
Laughter and tears…
Food and community….
Stories and Worship…
There have been moment of deep connection and a few times where the holding of hands and a smile is what has connected two people. We speak a different language and live in a very different culture, but when sitting in a circle to share what we have experienced in life, the themes seem the same. We share of sorrow and heartache but also of dreams birthed and realized. We share of children born and parents aging, of faithful friends and painful abandonment. We share a God who is our provider, protector and yet we still have questions of why life has unfolded the way it has.
We have traveled a long distance and yet the stories feels familiar. I am experiencing this week that regardless from where we come, when we look beyond what we see as differences, hearts unite quickly! I realize that if we had chosen to focus on what was different, we could have had much to compare as well. We would miss the experience of connecting our experiences, stories and hearts. We would have lost out on friendship.
I wonder where in our day-to-day, with people in our own communities, we opt to focus on differences and therefore miss an opportunity to experience the connection of our experiences, stories and hearts. I am puzzled how we can connect so easily with the people of China and yet we pass our neighbor on the street (or in our Church) without much of a thought…
I am thankful to sit with these very dear people….the journey is good!
(The connection is not allowing for my multiple pictures to be added, so those will come in time!)
