You can go on an outreach and be affected and changed by the people you come in contact with...then you can go home and go back to your normal life and every once in a while look at the pictures of that time you went overseas. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE TIMES. Every face has a name. Every face has a story... I read once that if we have any resources, any power, any voice, any influence, any energy, we MUST convert them into blessing for those who have no power, no voice, and no influence...We must be careful not to look at OUR world as THE world. The stories are all so different depending on where you go...the one in Vanuatu paints a picture of happiness, faith, and hope.
Ni-Vanuatu people are incredible...I wish i had more words to describe them. One of the most incredible things is the way they Worship. They put us to shame really...no holding back, no fear, just pure and FREE worship. It brings you to a place that you never want to leave. A place where you know that you know that this is what worshipping the Lord is really about. And the children. They have a way a sneaking into your heart and taking hold of it. You dont notice it at first...but every time you see them and they run into your arms, your heart jumps a little bit. They love you. They dont care about what you look like, what you weigh, what your wearing...they love you for you. I couldnt help but wonder if that was the way it was supposed to be...no prejudices, not a care in the world for what you smell like or anything else...just love. They love that you love them.
I think one of t
he best things that happened to me was a conversation that i had with one of the "mamas". I was telling them that Justin and i had gotten married since the last time we were there. They LOVED the fact that before when we came we were friends, and now we were married. They started talking about white babies and black babies and at the end of our talk i heard them whispering to one another some ideas. They told me that they wanted me; US to have one of their children. Now in America this seems like a form of abandonment or something but i Vanuatu it is one of the highest forms of honor. They wanted to give one of the children to Justin and I so we could take them back with us and raise them and always remember our friends we have in Vanuatu. Its a little weird to get your head around...but it was so classic. I was flattered...until they started telling me that when we have a child maybe we could bring them back to Vanuatu and give them to one of the mamas there...this took things a little too far! I just loved meeting and talking with these women though. I learned so much about culture and their faith and just how strong they really are...
he best things that happened to me was a conversation that i had with one of the "mamas". I was telling them that Justin and i had gotten married since the last time we were there. They LOVED the fact that before when we came we were friends, and now we were married. They started talking about white babies and black babies and at the end of our talk i heard them whispering to one another some ideas. They told me that they wanted me; US to have one of their children. Now in America this seems like a form of abandonment or something but i Vanuatu it is one of the highest forms of honor. They wanted to give one of the children to Justin and I so we could take them back with us and raise them and always remember our friends we have in Vanuatu. Its a little weird to get your head around...but it was so classic. I was flattered...until they started telling me that when we have a child maybe we could bring them back to Vanuatu and give them to one of the mamas there...this took things a little too far! I just loved meeting and talking with these women though. I learned so much about culture and their faith and just how strong they really are...