As I looked out the window of the bus I saw what look to be rocky, dry soil but there where also trenches and green plants growing sometimes too. I wasn’t sure at first what I was looking at, but I was sure I was in a very different place then where I call home here in Asia. Once I got off the bus and was waiting for my friend to come and pick me up I noticed how bright the sun was and the fewer people there. As I rode in a taxi with my friend I noticed strange writing on a lot of the signs beneath the national language, and as my friend pointed out some parks struck me just how different this place seemed then the big city I live in.
I was traveling to my friend Stephen’s home in the north west of the country far away from where I live. It is mostly a desert there and I later realized that what I had been looking at was irrigation farming the only way to grow things there. Stephen’s hometown had mostly smaller buildings then where I live and was densely populated. What I noticed was the most was the larger numbers of minority people and how much poorer people there were. Stephen’s parents had simple place to live that costs about $600 USD per year to rent and they spend most of their money on paying for their two sons to go to college. Learning this help me understand Stephen’s deep desire to find a job and support himself, and to be able to help his parents in the future.
My time with Stephen in his hometown was really good I got to see and experience the life of people here outside of the big city and understand more about Stephen’s life and his view on the world. We didn’t have many serious conversations but we did talk about success and his desire to be successful and also how he feels that to believe in God would limit his ability to be promoted in a job. Pray for Stephen, ask that the Lord would break Stephen’s focus on success and that Stephen would understand God’s provision and put his faith in him.
Also last week, I went on that I scouting trip I mentioned last time and it was great! Thank you all for lifting that up and also the training that was going on in the states, I have heard reports that it is also very good and powerful time for those who are planning on coming next year.