I finally made it here safely to Michigan. I arrived at my house at 3am yesterday morning and am beginning to get used to the changes of the new environment. When I exited the airport, my first thought was "You have to be kidding me. I'm either in the Philippines or in a rain forest." Michigan is humid hot! For the two days I've been here, the temperature has been between 25 and 31 degrees Celsius. I really miss the mild friendly Vancouver weather. Another thing I've been missing is withdrawal from Asian food. I know it has only been two days but I miss noodles and rice topping dishes. I'll have to learn to cook some. :)
Two brothers from Vancouver: Tim Ong and Manuel Seradilla arrived at my house a couple of days earlier. Their presence has really assisted in the transition because I still have part of Vancouver with me. I'm staying with a chapter of a brotherhood called The Servants of the Word. They're a brotherhood of laymen who live single for God with a common vision of serving the Lord. All the brothers who I'm living with have service connected to the same work that I used to do in Vancouver. They serve the UCOs of North America and youth programs of Sword of the Spirit.
It's only been two days living with the Servants but I have already felt changes with my passion and relationship with God that I did not have while living in Vancouver. We have common morning and night prayers which really helps to set the tone for the rest of the day and close the night with the Lord. Every morning we have breakfast at 7:30 followed by morning prayer at 8. I have learned that our morning prayer together is somewhat like tithing: we give the first of our day and the best of ourselves in worship and prayer to God. In morning prayer we chant some psalms together, hear a passage from scripture, offer up some prayers of supplication together then close our prayer with a few worship songs. Having this commitment together has helped me discipline my otherwise sluggish and lazy nature. I know this energy will not last but the commitment that the brothers have will help drive me in the morning.
I've been told that I'll be doing around 60hrs of service spread between UCO work and household service. I hope I can handle it.
Today's agenda - Tour MSU campus with tour guide Stacey Smith and evening Housecleaning party with Alex Kilpatrick and friends.
Currently reading - Plato: Apology
To my friends and family in Vancouver - Thanks for your prayers and generosity. This trip would not happen without you!
"I know this energy will not last..." — nor do pain that have known or unknown causes, John! I'm quite an outsider when it comes to your commitments or with your life as a member of the UCO, but crossing fingers all the same for your survival, once every few days.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost meaningless to compare, but imagine the exiles in the twentieth century— those who fled from war-torn countries in Africa, the Middle-East, and even Korea— who did not have our electronics. What about their energy!? A trip is a temporal opportunity to be one of them, if not as severely lost as they were. A radical eye-opener. That's my speculative message. Keep healthy!