One of my most horizon-opening experiences I had was when I took my first trip out of my comfort zone - the United States - and into a radically new experience: Being a student in Quetzaltenango (or Xela) in Guatemala.
Politically, socially, environmentally, spiritually my personal landscape of how I viewed the world and myself was challenged and converted during my short stay in Guatemala. The most marked change was in recognizing my ability to drop my own agenda and perspectives and to take in God's agenda -- which was far more broad and transforming.
I had come as an eager student, ready to learn and enrolled in a language school recommended by my university. I had my itinerary, my phone contacts, a schedule of different people to meet, and every day mapped out. But each of these steps started falling apart as soon as my flight touched ground in Mexico.
Too many glitches and missed connections to explain here, but suffice it to say that I was finally one city away from my final destination and one week away from the start of my school when I finally lost it. I was a notorious list maker and every day I would make a list of things to do topping it with "pray" (with the underlying feeling "and don't get wigged out"). I would then go through my day checking things off, getting more and more anxious that more things would go wrong.
Finally my daily prayer must have kicked in, because a strong thought came to me saying "Rip up that list!" I did. Then the thought "Go to the market.” That was it! I would go to the market and that was the only thing I would do. That was my big list for the day. I felt like I was shedding baggage! I took some time to listen first - what should I do today? and got a very direct response! I listened some more - where should I go today? and followed that idea. I kept this up the whole day. Listen, get an idea and follow it.
By the end of the day, I had met quite a number of people - a beekeeper from Huehuetenango, north of the country, who was vacationing in Xela, the cook of the hostel where I was staying, a Peace Corps volunteer, a new Guatemalan friend. That night, we all ate together and gathered in the central courtyard where the beekeeper took out his guitar and we talked, sang, and talked some more. It was delightful, relaxed and full of Soul.
In Science and Health Mary Baker Eddy writes, "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings." This close walk with God proved this again and again.
At another point, I had missed a connection that I should have taken to meet another friend, as we were crossing the border to a neighboring country. I was getting very good at listening. I sat in the shade of a large church and prayed. I took out a small book of hymns and poems and opened the book to read this: "Still forget the things behind, follow God the only Mind." So, forgetting the agenda once planned - as that didn't work, I followed what I knew about crossing borders, trusting that God was showing me every single step I needed to take.
Sure enough, once across, I turned a corner and there was my friend, who had also been detained. One might think that the probability of me seeing my friend at that exact right moment at that exact right place was about nil, but then I knew better. God's agenda is always perfect!
Politically, socially, environmentally, spiritually my personal landscape of how I viewed the world and myself was challenged and converted during my short stay in Guatemala. The most marked change was in recognizing my ability to drop my own agenda and perspectives and to take in God's agenda -- which was far more broad and transforming.
I had come as an eager student, ready to learn and enrolled in a language school recommended by my university. I had my itinerary, my phone contacts, a schedule of different people to meet, and every day mapped out. But each of these steps started falling apart as soon as my flight touched ground in Mexico.
Too many glitches and missed connections to explain here, but suffice it to say that I was finally one city away from my final destination and one week away from the start of my school when I finally lost it. I was a notorious list maker and every day I would make a list of things to do topping it with "pray" (with the underlying feeling "and don't get wigged out"). I would then go through my day checking things off, getting more and more anxious that more things would go wrong.
Finally my daily prayer must have kicked in, because a strong thought came to me saying "Rip up that list!" I did. Then the thought "Go to the market.” That was it! I would go to the market and that was the only thing I would do. That was my big list for the day. I felt like I was shedding baggage! I took some time to listen first - what should I do today? and got a very direct response! I listened some more - where should I go today? and followed that idea. I kept this up the whole day. Listen, get an idea and follow it.
By the end of the day, I had met quite a number of people - a beekeeper from Huehuetenango, north of the country, who was vacationing in Xela, the cook of the hostel where I was staying, a Peace Corps volunteer, a new Guatemalan friend. That night, we all ate together and gathered in the central courtyard where the beekeeper took out his guitar and we talked, sang, and talked some more. It was delightful, relaxed and full of Soul.
In Science and Health Mary Baker Eddy writes, "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings." This close walk with God proved this again and again.
At another point, I had missed a connection that I should have taken to meet another friend, as we were crossing the border to a neighboring country. I was getting very good at listening. I sat in the shade of a large church and prayed. I took out a small book of hymns and poems and opened the book to read this: "Still forget the things behind, follow God the only Mind." So, forgetting the agenda once planned - as that didn't work, I followed what I knew about crossing borders, trusting that God was showing me every single step I needed to take.
Sure enough, once across, I turned a corner and there was my friend, who had also been detained. One might think that the probability of me seeing my friend at that exact right moment at that exact right place was about nil, but then I knew better. God's agenda is always perfect!
Please add your own comments or email this article to a friend.
For more information, visit kimckorinek.com or contact Kim directly via skype!
Get Skype and call me for free.
No comments:
Post a Comment