Truth is large. Truth doesn't fit all nice and snug within our nation or Christianity. Truth is far reaching, disguised in all religions, and ways of life. Truth is something that needs to be sought out and distinguished from the lies, the deceptions of our own sinful nature. Truth is a mystery and is exciting to pursue. It's like a big puzzle; a puzzle so hard and with so many pieces that you can never complete the whole thing. But as you piece more and more together, the picture starts to become more and more clearer. But the picture are hints at life, ways to live, and find joy within a broken world. That's a dang fun puzzle.
Truth lies both within Africa and America - neither of us have it more figured out then the other. Both nations, along with the other nations of the world, possess strengths and weaknesses when looking from an eagle's eye and with a truth perspective.
Everytime I visit Africa I am smacked in the face with the idea of Community. This time more then any other though, it became clear how much our country is deteriorating away from a sense of "Community". We have moved away from being relational with one another and have progressed towards a more individualized society.
I sat at BaBa's house (the cheif of the village) three times a day to communally and realtionally spend my meals. Surrounded by a family that really has no boundries. BaBa and his Wife look deliberatley after 7 kids. I say deliberately because their family ecompasses much more then 7 kids, their family is their village. These 7 kids - some their grandkids, some of who have had their parents pass away, or parents because of financial reasons live in a seperate country. The oldest, anywhere from 16 to 18 yrs old has taken on the role of a mother. They all eat, work, live, experience life together. Each one desperately needed, to make life work. Fetching water, planting harvest, harvesting the crop, cooking, traveling to market, gathering fire wood, and being eachothers source of entertainment (they don't have T.V. or video games to take on that role).
Never an orphan, never a Grandma, or Grandpa sent to a nursing home - who are very highly respected and looked at being sources of wisdom in the culture. Which in America we've done the complete opposite; we've regarded the elderly as helpless and weak. We send them off to nursing homes to live alone and visit a few times a month.
I was told a story by another Peace Corps volunteer - during harvest season, when harvesting peanuts the Commnity will take turns in harvesting each others crops. They'll go out to the farms collect and pick all the communities Peanuts. Then they'll spend the next few weeks taking turns shelling each other's peanuts. This way they are able to work together, relationally, and provide help for each other.
In America, we've replaced all of that with technology and with our luxuries. Our t.v.'s, Ipods, internet, cell phones, etc have all allowed us to cut ourselves away from actual conversations, sharing life, and being relational. We even have to entice each other to live relationally - HOV lanes.
Our houses have become a very indiviudal way to escape interaction. We can spend a full day inside our homes without every spending time with the neighbors we are surronded by. Most commonly the people that live next door, other then the daily wave, are complete strangers. It's sad we've gotten to the point where we share yards, schools, neighborhoods, with our neighbors, but could not tell you about the others job, family, hardships, etc...
It is so bad, that realtionally we are awkward. Starting conversation with a stranger, walking up to a neighbors house and striking up a conversation, sitting by someone in a coffee shop, at work, class, etc... "For the most part" makes us nervous or scared.
God calls us to love one another and live relationally. This is my favorite part of this whole post - the place I was living where I saw Community. Where I was able to see a glimpse of what God's original design is? It was all in a Muslim village. Truth is big and far reaching - but it has to be looked for and pursued.
I've cut down my thoughts and feel like I could keep going, but I'll end with this point:
What do I want out of life? What kind of life do I want to live out? Questions I continually ask myself. It's not cause I'm young and am able to either. Your life and the way you live it is a choice, no matter where or what stage you are at.
My answer: I want to expierience life with others. I want to live relationally. Not with a convenient community of friends and family, I want it to be with people without possessing any type of standard. I want to replace my time spent alone and with my computer and T.V., with an initially awakward but ultimately rewarding relationship.
The girl, that has taken on the Mother role and her baby
My two favorites, Jaunamo and Sirleyman
Getting the boys to throw up the peace sign - unsuccessful
Truth is exclusive, and without community we suffocate. I see so many everyday blue in the face from lack of breath.
ReplyDeleteYou're a great man Martinez. I'm privileged to know you, relationally.
I read your post earlier this week and it struck a certain chord with me because for the most part I have been living a pretty solitary life the past few years (being largely nomadic tends to induce that type of living). There is a part of my being that aches for the community we were all designed to be a part of. As it turns out, the sermon this morning I had the privilage of listening to was on biblical community. God really has a way of furtively preparing our hearts for exactly what He wants us to hear!
ReplyDeleteThe sermon was so chalk-full of goodness that I thought you might enjoy reading a few of the points. Although they are not necessarily new points, or of very deep thought, they are so simple to understand that it kills me why we sometimes still don't implement them in our daily lives.
1. We were created by a relational God (who is relational in and of Himself - the Holy Trinity) as relational beings. What more is evidence that we should be living lives of more community than the fact that God created it to be this way? Yet we don't value relational properties, we value progress. We view community as "networking" - ways to get ahead of the game in our jobs, social circles, schools, etc.
2. Community is a way of life. You touched on this when you shared the example of the members of the village sharing in the harvest responsibilities. Community is not something we should choose to be a part of when we are feeling "social". It is the type of living, as you wrote, that God designed for us.
Wrapping it up...thanks for sharing what was on your heart about relationships. You made a bigger impact than you probably realize.
P.S. Long live Coahoma, MS! :)