Week 6: Far & Away

"Just a castaway, an island lost at sea..."

Lying awake in my bed this morning, I realized that it has now been six weeks since I left the United States. It's not of great importance, but it does mark the longest time I have been outside of my home country. In 2005, I spent six weeks studying at Universitaet Innsbruck in Austria. With the six week mark now being matched, I couldn't help but compare my experiences in both places. A few things are similar: I speak Spanish about as well as I spoke German and I miss BBQ, sweet tea, and busciuts just as much as I did in the Alps. Some things just weren't meant to be forgotten.



My little brother monkeying around.

 Looking back, and hindsight is 20/20, I really do believe my experience abroad has been radically different the second go around. In Austria, I had a difficult time adjusting to cultural differences and I was often homesick---the kind that makes you want to put on your Ipod and escape into dreamland. Fortunately, I learned from my first trip and I believe God has really shown me an incredible amount of grace. From the moment I learned about EMI, the Lord has been steadily tearing down walls in my heart; walls, that if left unbroken, would have made life very difficult here in Costa Rica. Many of those walls revolve around comfort. Comfort can, at times, be deceitful--especially if that is the end goal. EMI orientation prepared me well for the cultural changes, mainly because it was centered on the truth of Scripture. That truth is becoming more and more real to me. God's word offers a plethora of advice to those far away from home...Or as Sting said: "A hundred billion castaways, looking for a home." 

Practicing for the lumberjack olympics

My time in Austria was often marred because of my desire to be somewhere else. I was discontent in where I was, despite the amazing opportunity I was given. I lost many more opportunities because of my discontent attitude. A well-known quote from John Piper comes to mind: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." In Austria, I was more concerned with being back in the known comforts of life rather than in Christ and His comfort. There is quite a difference. I don't pretend to be free from those desires of worldly comforts. I miss all the same things I missed in Austria. But I hope and pray that those desires do not prevent me from glorifying God here. Please pray that I will use this time well and not be afraid to invest my all here.