AMERiCA...THE REAL WORLD...OR FANTASY LAND?

I could spend tons of time ranting and raving about all the things that have went wrong this week...the diarrhea and nauseousness (and apparent parasites living in me), the sore throat & runny nose & constant cough, and today the aching legs from dehydration.....But, why in the world would I spend time on those things to get sympathy for anyone would might be reading this.....when this time could be better spent on the intricate work of the Lord in the lives of those who love him!? It's so cool how God works and networks. Right now, we have 3 Americans staying in the house from a organization called AIM (Adventures in Missions). They are on a World Race (theworldrace.org) and travel the world, a country at a time, a month at a time. How did they get to our house, you ask?? Simply because they walked past our door a few days ago. The 3 of them (Esther, Tamara, and Mark) are in a period of ATL (Ask The Lord) ...in which they go by faith where they feel God leading and depend on him for all the resources and the work when they get there. It is so amazing to sit down and talk with them, and the experiences they have had in so many countries (Africa, South Africa, China, etc). Cheryl and I were talking with Mark tonight and it's amazing how much Americans are ignorant of life outside the U.S. I'm not sure if it's true ignorance, or if it's a choice of ignorance b/c it scares us to open our eyes. Mark was saying the missionaries in AIM talk about getting back to "the real world" (U.S.) after their year is up. But then it dawned on them, that America is not the real world. America is this fantasy land, and then there is the rest of the world. Outside America is the true, REAL world. I don't want to be Debbie Downer on Americans, but it just seems we have no sense of what the real world is, because we don't get out of fantasy land. If we did, I don't know how we could ever go back & truly live our lives the way we do...with the next biggest toy, the complete debt to "provide" for our families with $300,000 houses and $30,000 cars that are our "needs" (when some of my friends here live in cardboard and tin piece houses)... I knew something had happened when I went back to TN in January. At this point, I just don't see myself being able to truly live in America again. I cannot live in a fantasy, with now having at least some knowledge of the real world. When I'm here, my heart is in America with my family and friends. But when I'm in America, my heart is here...I feel as if I'm a girl without a home...at least an earthly home. a somewhat hard place to be in, but truly it makes my heart yearn for Heaven in a much more passionate way. Knowing it's my only true home!
I'll end with a song from MercyMe. I know it's not a perfect fit to what I was saying, but just a way to prove, this world is not our home...in Nicaragua or America!
MUCH LOVE!


"Homesick" by MercyMe

You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you
I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home
I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbye
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again
And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now