Without borders.

   We had another week of government protests/shut-downs. Today was the last day of four in a row. Cue in the "Cabin fever" dance number from Muppet Treasure Island. A few days ago Shannon "discovered" multiple new worship songs-one of which was "Oceans" by Hillsong UNITED. This song has now become my song for the week and probably for the whole trip. I have always wanted to have a theme song. If I were artsy-fartsy I would make an epic photo collage of my time here to this song that would move people to tears.

At the last house in this country before crossing the border.

   The two lines that resonate deepest are "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders" and "take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior." I find it interesting that often in worship we, the church, can sing words without meaning or understanding them. I remember in high school when the song, "mighty to save" was a big deal I had a conversation with two of my friends who had moms battling breast cancer. They spoke of how when they sing "He is mighty to save," they believe the words and did not understand how someone could sing the lyrics without ever having trusted Jesus to move mountains in their lives. It would be like singing "brokenness is what I long for" without really wanting to be broken or allowing Christ to show you where you need to change. We sing songs because they are cool or have great beat or because they sound "super spiritual." What would happen if the words we sang with such feeling came true? For me this song defines my current life.

The border.

Jesus led me to this country where the people, the culture, the language, the clothing, the weather and the food are not mine. My schedule has not worked out the way I had planned or thought that it would go. I have been isolated, lonely, hurt, discouraged and oppressed. Praise the Lord that these things are temporary. My heart for my brothers and especially my sisters is broken that some of these things are their normal. When I come home, I do not know how I will support myself, what my life plan is, or if I will die alone with cats. The beautiful thing is that for the first time in my relationship with Jesus my trust is truly without borders. He has taken me WAY farther than I could have wandered, but all so that I am at a place where it does not matter what happens tomorrow or in January. He has me in the palm of His hand and He wrote out my story before He created light, the stars, the animals and the first people. The fact remains that even though this trip has brought me to places that I never wanted to go and has been a constant spiritual battle I would go out again if He asked me because I trust Him. Where He leads I will follow.

 Picnic spot.