After 8 days in Haiti it is hard to come back to the US. In Haiti things were chaotic, and yet simple. While the infrastructure was failing, nonetheless the people we were around were real clear about how they wanted their lives structured. We witnessed people who were able to rise above the problems of the moment and see the possibilities of tomorrow.
Since coming back, it seems that all I have encountered are the problems of today while people are unable or unwilling to see the possibilities that await us. Now of course this is too black and white, but I find the craziness of the external climate of Haiti much easier to navigate than the internal climate of people who are simply used to getting everything there way (thanks Burger King!). We in the USA seem to have allowed ourselves to make problems for ourselves because we don't face the same kind of problems others in the world do on a daily basis.
Tomorrow we head to New Orleans for the National Youth Gathering. The theme is Jesus, Justice, and Jazz. How easy it will be for the youth (35,000 in attendance) to make this into one big celebration of youthful vitality, but we can only hope that this will be a chance for them to show just what they are made of. As I participate I am hopeful for opportunities to witness an event that is something more than a 4 day carnival, but the beginning of a campaign that will involve their heart, hands, and the Holy Spirit. Let us trust that God will do something great in our midst and at the same time that New Orleans will be changed by our presence.
Peace,
Pal
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