so long, farewell

so while i've been here, i've been reading this book called blue clay people by william powers. he was here in liberia with a non-profit right in the middle of the 14 year civil war, and this book is essentially just his experience here, and it's unbelieveable. he references two people, and the quotes he mentions have just been haunting me during my stay here. so i'll share them with you:

"we have lived by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. we have been wrong. we must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption that what is good for the world will be good for us. and that requires that we make the effort to know the world and to learn what is good for it. we must learn to cooperate in its processes, and to yield to its limits. but even more important, we must learn to acknowledge that the creation is full of mystery; we will never clearly understand it. we must abandon arrogance and stand in awe. we must recover the sense of the majesty of the creation, and the ability to be worshipful in its presence. for it is only on the condition of humility and reverence before the world that our species will be able to remain in it." - wendell berry

"there is no such thing as doing great things in this world. we can only do small things with great love." - mother theresa

i think those are good things to meditate over when you're in a place like liberia. the needs are so vast and great that it's hard to know where to start. but really, you do what you do best. for the chapmans, they opened up a dental clinic to care for people that were dying of infections in their mouths. for me, it meant that i played with a lot of adorable children while i was here. but the poverty is overwhelming, and the effects of the war are still so apparent. so to not be overwhelmed by the need for change and newness, i just kept remembering the latter quote. i'm just one person, but i have great love.

my prayer this week and a half has just over and over been that i'm so ready for things to be made right here on earth. that i want wholeness and newness for all of creation, especially for places like liberia. i also want to know how to continue to be an advocate for things like justice and peace. show me please.

today was the perfect end to our time here. the weather was just gorgeous. and we got to spend the afternoon with the kids at the orphanage we've been visiting this week. we brought them ice cream and then just played with them for a couple hours. and one of them said to me "you come back, yeah?" basically asking me when i was coming back to liberia. i found myself answering "yes, soon." i don't know why. hopefully i will come back here one day. but for now, this will do, and i'm so so so glad i got to spend time here with this wonderful family.

see you in brussels!

peace and love,
julia