i went to church at masiphumalele this morning for the second time in my life. and for the second time i was moved as no other church service has ever moved me in the states. for some reason the joy and freedom with which they worship is profoundly variant from the way we choose to worship in the united states. it makes me wonder why i have to go to africa to experience it.
-
this trip has turned out to be an incredible struggle...in a good way. last night i spent time talking to my friend chris about the purpose of this trip. i am unique on this trip in that i have been here before. there was no shock factor for me walking the streets of ocean view and masiphumalele. yet because of that i have had to process through a new, deeper level on this encounter. again i find myself believing that i could live here. and i don't say that idly. god is moving here, around me, in me, and through me. and even all my theological schizophrenia is able to find reconciliation with that fact.
-
it is, in essence, a dirty tradeoff. i have to come to africa for three weeks to make discoveries that seem elusive back in the states. yet i grow to love the place so much that returning home seems an unbearable burden. but i also miss home. so there is no good clean way to fit all the pieces together...and i am growing to understand that i probably wouldn't want them to fit together anyway.
Dan,
ReplyDeleteMy comment comes from a story our pastor told a few Sundays ago. He told us that while attending a conference in St. Louis, he met a Pastor/Bishop (sorry can't remember which) from Africa. Our Pastor asked him what his plans were while in the states. The African Bishop replied, "I'm curious to see how the church operates without the holy spirit." There was an audible gasp of conviction from our congregation. You are a blessed group of young adults, and you doubly, to experience His presence so vibrantly. It is very exciting to me.
prayerfully,
Diane~ "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:6