Good People (by Jack Johnson)

I've been meeting all sorts of amazing people on this trip. I've met some wonderful individuals who are making some amazing sacrifices to do the Lord's work here. I've made some potential ministry connections that will hopefully bring me back here someday. I made one friend in particular who will hopefully be a good friend for life. I've met some people who have such amazing hearts but don't have any clue who Jesus is. And I've met some people of whom I'll likely never see again but have left a lasting impression in my heart and in my life.
There has been little to no time spent here without the direct and intentional interaction with at least one of these people at a time. Granted, there have been moments, if not longer, of solitude within my heart, even if I was in the presence of others ... but those experiences are inevitable when traveling alone to a strange and new place. The thing I've been taught and have learned (thanks, Mom!) is to see those times of solitude, whether that solitude is physical or merely from within, and use it as an advantage rather then as a weakness. It's in those times of solitude that I have a chance to reflect on God and to grow in my experiences and relationships. But, for better or for worse, those times of solitude have been somewhat few and far between over the past several weeks. I've had too much time to engage with new people, new places, new cultures, new foods, and new ministries.
As great as it's been to get to know the local villagers, other mission workers, and random people from international students to auto shop workers, the ones I feel blessed to have gotten the chance to get to know the best are the family that invited me here. I've had the chance to stay up late and sit on the roof all day getting sunburned with their oldest daughter and one of her closest friends, I spent days hiking and driving thoughout the mountains talking about the culture and the ministry with the father, and I've gotten to enjoy the cooking and the quality taste in music of the mother, not to mention the occasional opportunity to give and receive a little crap from the youngest daughter (disclosing names for safety). This is one pretty cool family ... and it doesn't hurt that their Canadian too! I hope and expect that God has brought us together for a reason, and I hope and pray that this is the beginning of a pretty special and spirit-filled relationship.