best day ever

i read this story recently where a church in georgia had become good friends with a church in Tanzania. They had gone over to Tanzania to help build a sanctuary, worship, and make friends. A few months later a young priest for the church in Tanzania came over to visit in Atlanta. His relationships grew and strengthened. One day a parishioner received an e-mail from him. He said that he had malaria. In the end he said. "Don't lose heart, my friend. Friend and Relationship is a long way to walk. We can walk"

This quote has been playing over and over in my mind this week. As I walk through the aisles of the make-shift grocery store, walk around a giant pool of pennies, walk circles in a tiny kitchen preparing plates. It's easy to get discouraged, impatient, confused when you're surrounded with this poverty, this homelessness. You try and dissect it, justify it. just explain it. when you do you lose heart. but when you walk with them it's different. it's transforming. and that's the difference: learning to accompany them, not serve them.