Living overseas requires humility.
I was reminded of this yesterday as I walked out of the bank. (After it took me ten minutes to fill out three slips of paper...two of which I had to rip up and start over again. And the bank lady immediately starting speaking to me in English. I'm learning to let those things roll off my back.)
In living overseas the highs are higher and the lows are lower.
I remember hearing a speaker say this during my college years. I think I would agree. The blessings are more intense, but so are the challenges.
I'm an expert on this because I have now lived overseas for 20 months. Ha ha - I am just kidding! I don't claim to be an expert. But I have been reflecting recently on some of the things I have learned during those 20 months, and I would like to share them.
*Being far from family and friends is not easy. The truth is that being far from loved ones might just be the most heart-wrenching part of living overseas.
*I'm a German kindergartener. While I often FEEL like this is true, because my knowledge - or lack thereof - of German language and culture is similar to that of a kindergartener, it is NOT really true. (Yeah - this is where the humility comes in. Making mistakes and making a fool of myself is just part of living overseas. Remember what I said above about letting things roll off my back?)
*It's all about the little things. Everything takes longer and more effort when it's done in a foreign culture and a foreign language. (Exhibit A: Those bank slips I mentioned above.) And it is the subtle differences in culture that take so long to notice and figure out.
*We still feel lonely. Even those of us in North American or ex-pat communities still feel lonely. Maybe it's that hole in our heart - that heaviness that is there - because we are missing friends and family back home? Maybe it is because we know that regardless of how long we stay overseas, we will never fully fit - never fully belong - in our "adopted" home? Granted, since we have left our home culture, we no longer truly "fit" there either. (This makes the reality that my citizenship - and therefore true "home" - is in heaven even more profound. But that in and of itself could be a complete blog post. I'll avoid heading down that tangent for now...)
*There is spiritual warfare. I firmly believe that Satan will do anything he can to defeat those who are excited about doing God's work. (Wherever that is - in the US, China, Europe, or Timbuktu.) The more excited someone is, the more "on the front lines" they are and the more God is using them, the more Satan works to defeat these people.
Side note: Fasching (Carnaval, Mardi Gras, etc.) is coming to an end. I have heard several people say recently that demonic activity and spiritual warfare is even stronger during this time. An interesting idea to consider.
*We need each other. I firmly believe that God created us to live in community. He does not mean for us to fight this battle alone. Not only is He there for us, but He has given us other people so that we can "bear one another's burdens."
*There is power in prayer. We all need God. We all need to depend on Him. Because the truth of the matter is that none of this is possible without Him. My life and my ministry are not mine - they are HIS. ("Pray without ceasing...")
*It is worth it. Despite the challenges, life overseas is worth it. The blessings and lessons learned - the personal growth - are worth it.
Disclaimer #1: While I jokingly claimed to be an expert above, I did not write this post to sound like a know it all. Because the truth of the matter is that I have a lot to learn. A LOT. (Referring to myself as an expert earlier was actually an instance of sarcasm.)
Disclaimer #2: And while I use the pronoun "we" in some places above (because some of my other overseas friends have confirmed these same sentiments in conversations I have had with them and to reflect that I am not alone in this), I do not want to be accused of putting words in someone else's mouth. In reality, I alone am responsible for the thoughts and ideas expressed in this post. They are not endorsed by my roommate, my mother, or my mission. They come from my mouth alone. So don't blame anyone but me for anything you might not agree with.
With that being said, I don't really think I wrote this post for any of you. I wrote it for me. To remind myself of these things. To pull myself out of the doldrums of wintry February and remind myself of the big picture of my life. And why I am here.
And that my life is not my own.
And how good God is. How truly good He is. And that He loves me.
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