You are the Light of the world

Imagine the horizon looking like it is seriously on fire! Something so fierce that you wonder if something supernatural is happening. Intermixed within the vibrant shades of red and orange are amazing streaks of purple and blue. It’s almost like the night and day were fighting each other. This was the few I was captured by as my plane left Ft. Lauderdale.

Over the last few days in America, I let the madness that is wanting to say goodbye to everyone while also preparing to return to a developing country interfere with my time with the Lord. As a result I felt I like the walls were closing in on me. I began questioning if I had made the right decision. In my visits with everyone, I felt loved. I started to become sad that these friendships I feel so blessed to have, would once again be tested by living abroad. In a very weird way, I started to resent God for opening these doors for me.

But as I sat down in 18A on a Spirit Airlines flight heading to Cartagena, Colombia I just started to pray. I asked our Father for forgiveness for these thoughts. I begged for grace to be every part of the man He called me to be that day. I reflected on our time together last year and how obvious that He was there every step of the way. When I was seriously struggling and feeling completely alone (not everything made the blog), He lifted me up in a way that’s hard to describe. My most amazing experience was not with the family in Santa Ana that I love dearly, nor with my students, it was the nights I would just walk around the little dirt soccer field at our school. From the amazing sunsets, the stars that felt just yards away from me, the breeze that divinely also brought peace and joy, to the almost audible voice that would flood everything part of telling me “I am with you.” Spending time in His true presence is worth a lifetime of memories.

I slipped on my IPod and began to pray along with the song by Passion called Prepare the Way. Just as the chorus “You are the light of the world” was being sung, the sun began to rise. It was one of the most beautiful and powerful things I have ever seen. The Light of the world, the King of the earth, is always going to be with this scared little kid! The God who made that beautiful spectacle I was captured by, simply wants nothing more than for me to always look at Him in that manner. And it was overwhelming in that moment that how could I not! For where I have come, what I have done, who I have been, I am simple blown away that He would send his one and only son, to die for me, so that by grace, through faith, in Christ alone, I would appear blameless in His sight.

So which leads me to say that I have returned to my home in Santa Ana, Colombia ready to simple be His hands and feet among these people. I can report that while I had an awesome reunion with “my family” and friends here in the pueblo, I am now buried in a huge curriculum overhaul project the principal sprung on us just a week out from classes. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I hammer this initiative out in before those little gremlins return. Also keep the new 8 WorldTeach Volunteers that will be arriving this Saturday on your list as well. To what I have read and heard, these kids are going to rock! We have a ton of stuff to do but I know they are going to be huge blessing to me, this school, and the community of Santa Ana!

Entonces, hablamos pronto! Dios te bendiga!

Eric