I remember writing a theological reflection for Uni on my travels to India and the dificultes of cross cultural ministries, and one of the quotes I remember directly - to the point I can see the page in front of me - was to do with Stress. They say that moving jobs, moving house, is stressful enough without moving countries. Therefore for a cross cultural missionary the first few months are often the worst thing ever. Now I am in no way going to claim that I am a cross cultural missionary I have only moved to Wales, but moving to a new area, moving out from my parents, starting a new job does seem quite an achievement, and there is a language barrier especially with place names! Its daunting and it has been at times lonely, especially after my family left to go back to there respective homes, work and study. The church that I have moved to are so friendly and aware that moving can be lonely and I love my Tuesday Coffee morning, not that many there come under my target work remit.
I will not lie, I have spent a night crying down the phone to amazingly patient people, because of the frustrations and the quietness that sometimes envelope me after being in the flat for so long. But God has truly shone through these last few weeks. I need only sit at my kitchen table to stare at his creation and his beauty, to gaze upon humanities intrigue and curiosity and know that I am in the right place.
He is teaching me once again to be still in his presences first before being busy in his mission. A hard lesson for someone who likes to be.... er busy as a bee.
I know that this is a time when many of my friends have also up-ed and moved house to knew jobs, and I'm sure the frustration and the stress are not the same, but I hope we all find the joy in Christ as we start to walk alongside different communities with different ways of life.
I will not lie, I have spent a night crying down the phone to amazingly patient people, because of the frustrations and the quietness that sometimes envelope me after being in the flat for so long. But God has truly shone through these last few weeks. I need only sit at my kitchen table to stare at his creation and his beauty, to gaze upon humanities intrigue and curiosity and know that I am in the right place.
He is teaching me once again to be still in his presences first before being busy in his mission. A hard lesson for someone who likes to be.... er busy as a bee.
I know that this is a time when many of my friends have also up-ed and moved house to knew jobs, and I'm sure the frustration and the stress are not the same, but I hope we all find the joy in Christ as we start to walk alongside different communities with different ways of life.
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