I have a passion for the world. I love travel, adventure, cultures, and people. I want to see, taste, and experience the unique beauty of the world.
Recently, I began working at Life.Church in the Church Online department. It has opened my eyes to the global church in a context I hadn't seen before. People coming together simultaneously to worship and grow online. This week, the continent of Asia has been a high priority. I have been learning about various countries, and as a team we have been praying over Asia.
Asia is a beautiful continent full of stunning landscapes, incredible cities, delicious food, millions of people, and varying unique cultures.
This week has gotten me thinking how Asia has a uniquely special place in my heart. In 2011 I went on a trip to Thailand that altered the path of my life. Before Thailand I was in a destructive and confusing place and the people I met, places I saw, and things I experienced sparked a change for the better. Through that journey I was able to begin healing and look to a new, exciting future. That trip to Thailand also ended up changing where I wanted to go to college and thus, the whole trajectory of my life was forever changed. Working with people to spread the love of Jesus through a country where there is so little light and peace, sparked a new level of passion.
The other, even more meaningful, reason Asia is part of my heart is my sister. My sweet baby sister is from Kazakhstan and she has shaped my life in ways I could never have imagined. On my trip to Kazakhstan to meet her and bring her home, I saw a unique culture full of unique people. It was my first significant overseas experience and it has stuck with me ever since. I remember the realization I had that the world is full of people. It may seem an obvious truth, but for me it was the first time I had seen another place completely different from my own home. It is all too easy to see people as statistics. There are upwards of 7 Billion people on this planet and for me, I learned how to put faces with that logic. My adorable, fun, silly, beautiful sister came from Asia and through adoption became part of my family forever. I will always be grateful for her and I will always hold the culture and people of Kazakhstan, and Asia as a whole, in my heart. It is part of her, and part of me.
If you ever get the chance to visit Asia, I would highly recommend it. There is so much to learn, and see, and experience. I will always advocate for travel and new experiences! However, this can be challenging in many ways. I would like to encourage you to learn more about this amazing place and begin to pray for the people there.
People and places impact us. They leave traces in our hearts and inspire our futures. Sometimes it's more than the big experience of travel and adventure; sometimes it's the small things, the little lessons that impact the way we think or feel, that leave the most lasting impact.
No comments:
Post a Comment