I’m finally back home after an extremely busy couple of weeks. I spent time in La Libertad, El Salvador and Las Vegas, Nevada. Two places that could not be more of a contrast in lifestyle. For those who are interested here is a brief summary of my thoughts on both trips.
El Salvador was a successful trip. It was different from Ethiopia in many ways. For one, the country as a whole is nowhere near as poor as Ethiopia and it’s obvious. Some sections of the country looked like they were right out of suburbia here in the states. NOTHING about Ethiopia is even close to the states (except the obnoxiously pristine US Embassy/fortress). All that said, there are still many people in extreme poverty in El Salvador.
Movement as a group took on three separate projects while we were in La Libertad. First, the team of women and I visited Remar Orphanage and painted the inside of one of the boys dorms. The children of Remar were fantastic. We loved every moment we were there. Second, the men on the team spent the week building ramps for a brand new skate park for the city. Third, the whole group helped a pastor in San Diego, who runs a feeding program out of his own pocket, for the poorest of the poor children in his area. The week we were there, he had run out of food and would have had nothing to give had we not shown up. He is an amazing man. Truly a man going all out for Christ. Check out a short video of what we did there here.
More about the trip later. When I got back I had one day in NYC to recover with my wife, and then I was immediately off to Las Vegas where my office was celebrating our business success in the second half of 2011.
Vegas bills itself as Sin City, and this is true. But really its not really about sin in general, its specifically about glorifying yourself. It’s about living like a king, if only for a short time. Money in Vegas can literally buy you anything fairly easily: rooms like palaces, women, entertainment, the highest of quality in food, clothes and art. All the things the Preacher in Ecclesiastes tried until he could try no more and eventually found no pleasure in. Seriously read Ecclesiastes…you’ll be surprised its in the Bible.
The thing about Vegas is that the activities that you do there seem fun and even harmless while you are there. This is also my experience as a person who lived the Vegas lifestyle for most of my life. Try living that way for extended period. Try never being able to experience the difference between a stripper being all over your for a tip, and the touch of woman who truly loves you. Try never being able to tell the difference between your friends, and those who like you because you’re rich. Or worst of all, try training yourself to drink to contentment long enough, until you see your life as figuring out how to pass the time between nights of drunkenness that you only partially remember.
These are all the paths I was on before I met Christ. If you would have asked me before, I would have told you I was having fun. When I got a chance to look back on that lifestyle now, it broke my heart. It all seemed so silly. People in deep fear and loathing. People all around who refuse to face life as it truly is and would rather pretend they live in Caesar’s Palace, or in a land of Pirates. It’s a childish existence, ironically called “Adult Entertainment”. This lifestyle is vanity, it’s a striving after wind. In other words, if this is how you live, you will constantly be chasing something that you will never, ever get in this way. Whether that something is contentment in sex, money, alcohol or drugs is irrelevant. Its hopeless for you if you keep trying like this.
Life is better than what most 20 something’s in NYC think it is. As a Christian, my job is to get that message out, and show people how much more rich, pleasurable and fun life really is. Getting wasted on the weekends, when you really step back and think about it, is not fun. Its childish.
Lastly, I wanted to just give a quick shout to my brothers and sisters who went to El Salvador with me. I have honestly never met a group of people like this before. Everyone was just so humble, encouraging, loving and just flat out hilarious. I’ve never seen a group so ready to spend themselves for others.
The men on the team all fought off an awful stomach bug, while working in 90 degree, super humid heat for a whole week to eventually deliver, what we were told, were the best ramps in the entire country. I didn’t hear a single complaint the entire time, except that we wished we had more time to build even more. The results of the skate park build? God used our work, and he saved dozens of young El Salvadorean skateboarders. My brothers are solid men, it was awesome working with them.
I spent most of my time with our team of women. I cannot put into words how amazing this group of ladies is. People these days try to caricature Christian women in two ways. 1) The GCB woman, pretty much a hypocritical woman, more promiscuous than average, while at the same time leveling harsh judgments on everyone else. Or 2) The uptight, old fashioned nerd, who thinks holding hands is dirty.
The women that were on our team are nothing like either of these ridiculous caricatures. They are beautiful, stylish, funny and warm. Most importantly, they too were willing to work hard, in intense heat, fighting stomach problems and with no complaints. Not a SINGLE one.
In a time where many women choose to emulate the outlandish and unattractive behavior showcased on reality shows or Chelsea Handler, these women courageously stand apart. Each of them truly personifies the Proverbs 31 woman. Especially my lovely wife Brittany. (No offense ladies) I have grown to love my sisters. All them are special and I was honored to get to know them better over the course of this trip.
Where in the world did these people come from? Why are they willing to spend their time, their money and their bodies for people they’ve never met. The Lord taught me what the church is on this trip. The bible teaches that we (believers) are the body of Christ. That’s what these people have in common. That’s why they act the way they do. They come at life from a different perspective than unbelievers. Left to our own, the men and women of our team would be just like everyone I saw in Vegas. They would be chasing contentment in various worthless things, just like I did.
Instead, they have Jesus. Through them, Jesus works to meet the needs of the poor and widowed and the orphans. Through them Jesus works to draw others to himself. Through him they get to participate in Jesus’ mission to change hearts.
Thank you so much to my Movement family. Thanks for making me feel at home and for teaching me so much on this trip.
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