A Mixed Bag

Our time in Sri Lanka has really had us physically and spiritually all over the map, literally. We have been to the south of the island all the way to the most northern point and from the west coast to the east and several places in between. We have experienced all types of road conditions (except anything that resembles a US Highway) while traveling in a Mitsubishi Montero with 6 people and their gear. Let me stop and say “thank you Lord for safe travel and air conditioning”. Our lodging has ranged from top of the line beach hotels, thanks’ to Prem & Selina’s generosity, to places that had cockroaches the size of a small birds. We have been hot and often tired due to arriving at some of our destinations late into the night after 10 to 12 hours in the car.

Spiritually and mentally I felt totally out of it the first 3 days. My only real prayer was that God would soften my heart and allow me to see through His eyes. That prayer was answered when I met a young man World Concern has been working with who lost both his legs during the final days of the war. He sat before my family and shared some of his hopes in regards to finishing his education and hopefully one day earning an income that would allow him the ability to sustain himself. Then before I knew it he was off on his 2 artificial legs to receive physical therapy and I was left weeping. I never saw it coming as a flood of emotions swept over me and it was then I realized God was sharing with me how He feels when he sees us suffering. I personally believe the worst form of human suffering is when it is inflected by another intentionally and no where does that show itself more evident than the aftermath of a war.

I am happy to say that God did not stop sharing with me and went on to show me the great joy He feels when His children work on behalf of their brothers and sisters to bring healing and reconciliation to the brokenness around us. I saw this not only in the way that this young man was being cared for but also in the villages where World Concern was providing milking calves to the most vulnerable. It was here that saw eight women receiving a young cow that would secure their families with a balanced diet and a source of income through the selling of the milk. I will present one of these stories in a later blog post and for now just say that these women are receiving hope in a life that has been filled with unbelievable grief.

These have been just a few things in a list of many that our family has experienced while in Sri Lanka, and of course Jessica being in Japan has kept us all on high alert throughout this portion of our travels. We are happy to say that within 24 hours she will be on an overnight bus heading south in order to put more distance between her and those nuclear reactors and thanks to her Uncle Craig she will be flying out a day earlier from the 'south' of Japan.

I sit here writing this blog feeling blessed beyond belief.
-Kurt