the real world
i really hate the days and weeks after a mission trip. it's such a wall to hit. i mean.. you spend all but the sleeping hours of 6 days with 20 other people, and then upon returning to HK, i've seen 3 of them in the last 2 days. also, you spend the entirety of the trip under God's grace and protection... so returning to the crap that i call my every day life just sucks in comparison. i know that these trips are there to put my life back in perspective, and to never take for granted the things that i have... but man... if i had to decide on a place should God say move... i'd would seriously consider Cebu, whereas i have never before been able to answer that question.
i'm not going to write a report as in a day by day... i'm doing that anyways.. but i will say that will Cebu is beautiful and similar to a big city... it was poverty stricken. more so than places i've been to before. The last place we visited was called Pier 4.. and it was the worst place i've ever seen in my life. shacks of cardboard erected on the ends and in-between huge rusting containers with black run off that was horrible to inhale. so many children running around, but not too many adults... either working or dead said the guy who lead us in there. children who looked about 12 or 13 were really my age because of lack of nutrition... i saw kids running naked, some with serious skin problems, children eating trash, some guys withdrawing off some drug, i saw a child with bright orange finger nails... not on top of the skin.. but the flesh inside was orange...
but on the flip side, i'm back in front of my $10,000+ USD computer churning out my 9-5, drinking designer coffee back in my brand name clothes and listening to my extensive cd collection
which one is the real world? which is the world i live in... and which is the one i want to live in? i came back and i despised the world around me. my brother spoke to me about his newest toys... a new colour sony clie and a kickass digital camera.. my other friends spoke of going to a new year carnival, where rides and funfun altogether would cost over 200 HKD. my mother is talking about eating dinner at an upscale restaurant which will cost in excess of 500HKD per person to celebrate the new year... my other brother wishes me well with a text from his new phone he bought over the break. i came back only to be reminded that i'm saving money to buy a sony clie as well as an ipod, which altogether will cost about 5000HKD... and then i'm also refinancing to start saving up for when i move places in 6 months so i can enjoy a nicer life on my own, while paying about 4 grand a month.
in Cebu, 20 HKD will provide enough money to pay for one child's uniform, schooling and supplies... for an academic year.
our average meal cost less than 1 USD
i calculated that one month of my salary could support a missionary there for over 17 months.
the money i spent on my cab home from the airport train could've sent 3 kids to school for a year.
i dont normally think like this.. but this trip really helped me see myself... and while i hate it, i'm so blessed to even have had the chance to be where God is moving. i'll have something up soon in the form of a report, but until then, please pray that i dont let the things of the world get to me... that i can be focused on what God has called me to do HERE in HK, and lastly to have strength to continue seeking and understanding the things He spoke to me in Cebu.
salamat.
i really hate the days and weeks after a mission trip. it's such a wall to hit. i mean.. you spend all but the sleeping hours of 6 days with 20 other people, and then upon returning to HK, i've seen 3 of them in the last 2 days. also, you spend the entirety of the trip under God's grace and protection... so returning to the crap that i call my every day life just sucks in comparison. i know that these trips are there to put my life back in perspective, and to never take for granted the things that i have... but man... if i had to decide on a place should God say move... i'd would seriously consider Cebu, whereas i have never before been able to answer that question.
i'm not going to write a report as in a day by day... i'm doing that anyways.. but i will say that will Cebu is beautiful and similar to a big city... it was poverty stricken. more so than places i've been to before. The last place we visited was called Pier 4.. and it was the worst place i've ever seen in my life. shacks of cardboard erected on the ends and in-between huge rusting containers with black run off that was horrible to inhale. so many children running around, but not too many adults... either working or dead said the guy who lead us in there. children who looked about 12 or 13 were really my age because of lack of nutrition... i saw kids running naked, some with serious skin problems, children eating trash, some guys withdrawing off some drug, i saw a child with bright orange finger nails... not on top of the skin.. but the flesh inside was orange...
but on the flip side, i'm back in front of my $10,000+ USD computer churning out my 9-5, drinking designer coffee back in my brand name clothes and listening to my extensive cd collection
which one is the real world? which is the world i live in... and which is the one i want to live in? i came back and i despised the world around me. my brother spoke to me about his newest toys... a new colour sony clie and a kickass digital camera.. my other friends spoke of going to a new year carnival, where rides and funfun altogether would cost over 200 HKD. my mother is talking about eating dinner at an upscale restaurant which will cost in excess of 500HKD per person to celebrate the new year... my other brother wishes me well with a text from his new phone he bought over the break. i came back only to be reminded that i'm saving money to buy a sony clie as well as an ipod, which altogether will cost about 5000HKD... and then i'm also refinancing to start saving up for when i move places in 6 months so i can enjoy a nicer life on my own, while paying about 4 grand a month.
in Cebu, 20 HKD will provide enough money to pay for one child's uniform, schooling and supplies... for an academic year.
our average meal cost less than 1 USD
i calculated that one month of my salary could support a missionary there for over 17 months.
the money i spent on my cab home from the airport train could've sent 3 kids to school for a year.
i dont normally think like this.. but this trip really helped me see myself... and while i hate it, i'm so blessed to even have had the chance to be where God is moving. i'll have something up soon in the form of a report, but until then, please pray that i dont let the things of the world get to me... that i can be focused on what God has called me to do HERE in HK, and lastly to have strength to continue seeking and understanding the things He spoke to me in Cebu.
salamat.
Comments