Humbling

I have received more than i feel i could ever give here on this trip already. I feel overwhelmed as we have been showered with gifts of sheets flowers table clothes all beautiful. And on top of that we have stayed and eaten banquets more food than I have ever eaten before and yet they refuse payment of compensation.

Yesterday we had such a large breakfast and lunch that even I could not eat dinner. The generosity from people to give such much when on the surface they have so little by comparison to us. However it has come clear to me these people i have meet have something I dont an more true understanding of what it means to have the gift of christ something I am only just starting to better understand.

At a church service two nights ago we where seated up the front facing congregation slightly embaracing. We were then welcomed and had songs sung to us given gifts and flowers and had dances and flowers thrown all over us as if we were some kind of royalty.

I can’t help but wonder what we would do if these people came to our church maybe we would let someone speak and have a potluck lunch then everyone would go home here this is not the case everyone wanted to stay and talk with us having already shared dinner fellowship, church and worship. Sure some maybe be cultural differences but I feel it goes further than this.

In the same way christ the son of God died for us unconditionally I have found people here are able to emulate far better an aspect of this unconditional love for people that I have not seen to the same extent in New Zealand. I put myself in this basket but for a country and church that has so much we truly do give so little compared to what christ gave to us.

So i challenge us all to think what I truly means to be a disciple of Jesus in the context of individually as our local church and also as the church as a whole. And take more seriously the phrase of what would Jesus do.