A calling

Two weeks ago group of youth pastors gathered together and headed to Haiti. I don't know any of the youth pastors personally, I've been in the same room with some of them at Youth Workers Conventions, but I know a few of them through their blogs. As I read through their blog entries and prayed for their journey, I was reminded of my own experience in Mississippi that first trip.

I remember arriving at the New Orleans airport and the overwhelming feeling of emptiness that washed over me there. It was so still. I remember driving into Pearlington the first time and wondering what I was getting my group into. There were no streetlights, no signs of life anywhere. That first day it was all a little surreal, we went to church and were greeted with hugs and appreciation that overwhelmed us. As the week progressed we kept hearing more stories, seeing more devastation and when the week was done our hearts were broken. There was no questioning if we were going back, the question was when.

Reading about the experiences of these youth pastors, as well as Trinity's experience in Haiti, I've been reminded that God calls us to the places that God wants us to go. For me, the place isn't Haiti (right now) but Mississippi, for some it may be both, for others it's somewhere completely different. Helping people recover their devastated lives isn't a competition, it's an act of mercy, grace and compassion. Bringing a moment of hope into someones heart is what is important.

My experience leads me to believe that God calls us to the place where we are going to be the most affected and effective. It doesn't matter where that is, close to home or far away, the important thing is that we listen to what God wants from us and that we follow God wherever God is leading.