Reflection of Orientation
What an honor and a privilege it was to attend the Salesian Lay Missioner orientation! I grew in my relationship with God, in my faith, in knowledge of self, met some amazing people who share my heart for service…oh yeah, and began to feel more prepared for my upcoming mission trip to Ethiopia.
We learned the difference between being a volunteer and being a missionary. This is the way I understand it: Being a volunteer is good and is to be commended because it is an opportunity to help people in a very direct way. However, in being a Salesian Lay MISSIONER, I will not only be helping people but with added faith undertones.
Throughout orientation, I came to the realization that this upcoming year will most likely be the most humbling year of my life. In America, I have become what I think to be a well-qualified citizen, capable of supporting myself and “successfully” living daily life. Now, I am going to live in a place where I know nothing about the culture, customs, language, etc. I anticipate feeling pretty incompetent.
As much as my goal for a long time has been “to help people in Africa,” I am realizing more and more that they will be teaching me. This is great! I hope to learn and grow as much as I can throughout this year.
One concept that has stuck with me from orientation is that we are not bringing God to people; instead, we are going there to help them see that God is already there.
This is my favorite quote from orientation (something I think my Dad has been trying to teach me my whole life-Thanks Daddy!):
“The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you. They are unique manifestations of the human spirit.” – Wade Davis
In this way, my goal is not to “change the world,” necessarily, but to help others see God in it. For people to not see me, but instead to see the love, mercy, and glory of God. So they can come to know Him even better and so I may be able to see the same in them.
Another thing this experience, as a whole, is teaching me is that if God places something on our hearts, we will not be disappointed and should not loose hope in our impatience. For years it has been difficult for me to “sit on the sidelines” and watch while so many of my friends have gone on mission trips all over the world, gotten married, begun having kids-all things my heart burns with desire for-wondering (with attempted patience), “When will it be my turn?”…I had to finish school first, Mom said, which was definitely a wise decision. So I finished school and got a job (which I loved)-the American way. But still my heart yearned for something more. Finally, my time has come-God has provided an opportunity (a miracle) for His will to come to fruition in and through me! That’s not to say I wasn’t living out His will before, it’s just in a different way now. “Go in peace to glorify God by your life”
What an honor and a privilege it was to attend the Salesian Lay Missioner orientation! I grew in my relationship with God, in my faith, in knowledge of self, met some amazing people who share my heart for service…oh yeah, and began to feel more prepared for my upcoming mission trip to Ethiopia.
We learned the difference between being a volunteer and being a missionary. This is the way I understand it: Being a volunteer is good and is to be commended because it is an opportunity to help people in a very direct way. However, in being a Salesian Lay MISSIONER, I will not only be helping people but with added faith undertones.
Throughout orientation, I came to the realization that this upcoming year will most likely be the most humbling year of my life. In America, I have become what I think to be a well-qualified citizen, capable of supporting myself and “successfully” living daily life. Now, I am going to live in a place where I know nothing about the culture, customs, language, etc. I anticipate feeling pretty incompetent.
As much as my goal for a long time has been “to help people in Africa,” I am realizing more and more that they will be teaching me. This is great! I hope to learn and grow as much as I can throughout this year.
One concept that has stuck with me from orientation is that we are not bringing God to people; instead, we are going there to help them see that God is already there.
This is my favorite quote from orientation (something I think my Dad has been trying to teach me my whole life-Thanks Daddy!):
“The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you. They are unique manifestations of the human spirit.” – Wade Davis
In this way, my goal is not to “change the world,” necessarily, but to help others see God in it. For people to not see me, but instead to see the love, mercy, and glory of God. So they can come to know Him even better and so I may be able to see the same in them.
Another thing this experience, as a whole, is teaching me is that if God places something on our hearts, we will not be disappointed and should not loose hope in our impatience. For years it has been difficult for me to “sit on the sidelines” and watch while so many of my friends have gone on mission trips all over the world, gotten married, begun having kids-all things my heart burns with desire for-wondering (with attempted patience), “When will it be my turn?”…I had to finish school first, Mom said, which was definitely a wise decision. So I finished school and got a job (which I loved)-the American way. But still my heart yearned for something more. Finally, my time has come-God has provided an opportunity (a miracle) for His will to come to fruition in and through me! That’s not to say I wasn’t living out His will before, it’s just in a different way now. “Go in peace to glorify God by your life”
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