In the weird reverse chronology of blogs, this answer follows the one below, both attempting to reconcile, for me, a significant question: Why not dig a well? Why travel 10,000 miles to meet the people with whom we’ve joined in spirit and not do something meaningful and lasting and that can ease their suffering? Why traverse the globe and not dig a well or plant a garden or build a shelter?
My first answer is in the previous post. It may not make sense to anyone but me, but it’s an answer of sorts. My second answer is simply this: we are going on a pilgrimage.
I have come to feel that God is at work in Swaziland. From the sickness and the drought and the helplessness God is making something beautiful. This is, I think, what God always does. From our own brokenness and tragedy God creates beauty. In doing so, the site of this restoration becomes sacred ground. It becomes holy.
We go to bear witness to this transformation. Rather than digging a well or planting a field or doing work, we can perhaps do more by taking off our sandals, bowing our heads, and reverently bearing witness to God at work.
I want to think sometimes that we are bringing them something precious and salvific, but I know that’s not true. All of the salvation is being done by God and Jesus. The best we can do is bear humble witness.
In Swaziland we can see a new dawning. In the book of revelations John of Patmos called it the new Jerusalem. If we are still we will witness it descending on us in quiet glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment