Secret of Being Content... A Trip of Contrasts

Philippians 4: 12-13"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength"

This trip was truly a trip of contrast. On the way there we got "stuck" in Business class (for some reason it was cheaper than economy class because of Shane flying so much), on the way back I was "blessed" to be in the middle seat of the economy class with a rather large gentleman sitting next to me (other than Shane :) ).

When we tried to get back into South Africa from Rwanda, they would not let Shane back into the country because all of his passport pages had been stamped. His only solution... to walk to the embassy, or at least take a cab, and get pages added the next day! Because the flight was full the next night, we decided it best for me to go on ahead to South Africa (if Shane has time maybe he could share his Robi (Nairobi) experience). Me on the other hand, I thought I had a free day coming! Little did I know, they simply made me do all that Shane was supposed to do. Next thing I know I am on a live TV show for an hour being broadcast to 32 African countries! Immediately after the make-up and interview (I was with Alan and Xana of Hands of Compassion, who both love make-up :) ) we headed to the streets to hang with homeless folks (much more comfortable setting for me:) ).


While in Germany, we visited a large Youth Baptist convention with 1,000's of youth from all over the world, about midnight that same night we were hanging out at Freakstock (a Christian festival with a bunch of German Jesus freaks)!

We saw thousands of slabs of concrete in Berlin at the Memorial for the Jews who died during the Holocaust. A couple days later we saw thousands of handmade bricks used to build things and bring restoration to a new Rwanda.

We saw things that made us laugh (see the "signs" post) and we saw things that made us cry (see "genocide" post). He heard stories of demonic activity and hell, and we heard stories of miracles and angelic beings (see "Benjamin" post).

We worked in a Township (ghetto in South Africa) digging ditches and making houses, and we hung out at a beach watching waves and people surf.

We spokes to thousands, and we spoke to individuals. We prayed for people, and they prayed for us. All in all, this was truly a trip of contrasts.

Through all of this I realize one thing, there really is no such thing as rich and poor in the kingdom of God; rather we are all one family. We are all created in the image of God and He is madly in love with us all. Our value is not in what we own, in what we do, or in what people say about us; rather we are valuable because we are beloved sons and daughters of God.

-- chris lahr