Being separated from friends and family by an ocean has taught me a few things about communication! When we left the States we really were not expecting to be here very long… I had a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, and aside from a free master’s degree and some volunteer work the plan was just to enjoy South Africa for a year, then go home. It was only going to be a short trip, so I never made a deliberate plan on how I was going to stay in touch. Since now I am well into my third year in South Africa, this hurt my communication with many dear friends and family.
My communication was doubly hurt, because I did not realize the emotional energy that is required for a real connection (insert joke here about being a stereotypical male!). After an intense day in prison—which is probably the most cross-cultural experience imaginable!—the last thing I had energy for was more communication!
Within the past six months I have come to terms with the fact that prison ministry is a spiritual battlefield, and it would be arrogant for me to step into a prison without your prayers for my protection. Our commitment is to keep updating you regularly, but we will probably be apologizing to you again! Blogs are a flawed medium, and sometimes we are in the middle of something too raw to be processed in such an open manner. Our stories are tied up with other people, but we can only share our own. At the end of the day, maybe this blog is just about holding me accountable! If I am going to challenge gangsters to speak openly about their lives—even when it is messy—I owe it to them to hold myself to the same standard.
(P.S. from Anne: over the next few weeks we will be highlighting some of the ways you can be involved in our ministry, including joining a team that will commit to praying for us regularly. For a sneak preview, click here.)
1 comment:
It is so good to hear from you. Keep up the good work so we know how to pray.
Deb D
Post a Comment