I have now been in South Sudan for a month. Wow does time fly! If you have been reading this blog, you are aware of all the amazing things that occurred in this past month, and how much I am enjoying everything. I want to share a few more things that are going on in my life. I am learning to play guitar, something that I am very excited about. I have never been musically inclined, and the only things on my “musical resume” are playing the recorder in grade school and the occasional karaoke performance (ok it was more than occasional the last semester of college), but so far so good and it will hopefully be a good way to connect with the children in the future. I have also become more involved on the Don Bosco Senior Soccer Team, practicing with them a couple times a week and even playing in a few games. It is a great opportunity for me to interact with some of the men my age, and play competitive soccer at the same time.
Though I gush about all the great things here, I have to admit there have been some struggles. Teaching high school level English to five pre-novices is not something I expected or “wanted” to do before coming here, but that is where the need is and where I am called to be. Relearning the material and then trying to teach it is difficult and exhausting. The language barrier is certainly frustrating at times. The weather continues to get hotter as we see the mercury reach triple digits (as if the 90s everyday was not hot enough). And the lack of variety in daily life is taking time to get used to. However, this week I was given a not so subtle sign of the importance of these struggles.
During our Jesus Youth prayer group on Friday, where teens from the community get together to pray, sing, and share, we read the bible passage for the week and some words really stuck out. Philippians 3:7-11 says, “But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” Two main points really stuck out; gains considered losses and sharing in Christ’s suffering. One of the reasons I was really excited for this year of mission was to get away from the so called gains in that I was used to in daily life in order to truly gain Christ. St. Paul additionally suggests that gaining Christ comes not only from faith to know Him and the power of His resurrection, but also the sharing of his sufferings, something which I am quick to forget. This passage is a perfect reminder of why I am here and strong encouragement to keep on keeping on.
One of the big things I worked on this week was a video highlighting the parish feast, so I though I would throw it here for you to enjoy. God Bless!
Though I gush about all the great things here, I have to admit there have been some struggles. Teaching high school level English to five pre-novices is not something I expected or “wanted” to do before coming here, but that is where the need is and where I am called to be. Relearning the material and then trying to teach it is difficult and exhausting. The language barrier is certainly frustrating at times. The weather continues to get hotter as we see the mercury reach triple digits (as if the 90s everyday was not hot enough). And the lack of variety in daily life is taking time to get used to. However, this week I was given a not so subtle sign of the importance of these struggles.
During our Jesus Youth prayer group on Friday, where teens from the community get together to pray, sing, and share, we read the bible passage for the week and some words really stuck out. Philippians 3:7-11 says, “But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” Two main points really stuck out; gains considered losses and sharing in Christ’s suffering. One of the reasons I was really excited for this year of mission was to get away from the so called gains in that I was used to in daily life in order to truly gain Christ. St. Paul additionally suggests that gaining Christ comes not only from faith to know Him and the power of His resurrection, but also the sharing of his sufferings, something which I am quick to forget. This passage is a perfect reminder of why I am here and strong encouragement to keep on keeping on.
One of the big things I worked on this week was a video highlighting the parish feast, so I though I would throw it here for you to enjoy. God Bless!
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