Eat My Dust

There are distinct odors in Haiti. Fires seem to be prevalent throughout the countryside. It took me a while to figure out the reason. Simply - trash. Those are the easy odors to identify. The others are still a mystery to me. I found out day two after arriving back in the states and unloading our soiled clothing from the suitcases. Dust. I can tell you that dust is something to get over - because you will get dusty; clothes, hair, nose, and of course shoes. I think I brought home my weight in dust. I look back to a video that I've seen that talks about the disciples following Jesus so close that they would be covered with His dust. When you consider that we tend to be clean freaks and despise dust I actually welcomed it. There is just something about not wanting to leave Haiti. It permeates your senses and caused me to forget about the comforts of home and engage the opportunity in front of me.
Maybe it's the work never seems to be complete. To be honest with you I don't ever want the work to seem complete. The Kingdom of God is alive and active. The Kingdom of God is moving and growing, as it should be. The people of Haiti are hard working people. They labor for everything they get. All too often I see many people (in the Kingdom of God) standing on the sidelines or better yet - sitting idle watching others complete the task. The Church of America is lazy and far too many have no desire to lift a finger to further the Kingdom. i refer to them as punching their spiritual time clock. And by observation that just means they come - they sit - they leave. Rarely, if at all, do they participate in the service. They have become spectators in the greatest game that will ever be. The game of Life. ....Jesus came that we might have Life and have it to the FULL...
So when I step off the property of 7100 E. 31st and engage the world, whether near or far, I love following the Lord and I love getting dusty. My goal is to "leave it all on the field." A quote I hope they say that I was guilty of: "My life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather I will skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming..."Wow...What a Ride!" I want to be covered in Dust.

mike