Psalmo Veintitres (Psalm 23)

Psalmo 23

El Señor es mi pastor, nada me falta. Me hace descansar en verdes
pastos. Me guía a arroyos de tranquilas aguas. Me da nuevas
fuerzas. Me lleva por caminos rectos haciendo honor a su nombre.
Aunque pase por el más oscuro de los valles, no temeré peligro alguno
porque tú, Señor estás conmigo. Tu vara y tu bastón me inspiran
confianza.

This is very popular in the Dominican Republic... Psalm 23. It is not hard to understand why it is so popular. Take a look at a couple of the most powerful lines:

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil"

These are the people that are some of the poorest in the world, and here they are confident that they want nothing more. These are the people that are surrounded by gangs and violence, disease and slavery, yet they know and profess that they fear none of it. How great it is to be so loved by God that you do not need anything else. How wonderful to know that you have nothing of which to be fearful.

There is a famous saying that states "You don't know what you have until you lose it." In this case, however, it is quite the opposite. One will not know how much they really have until they find it through God. In the USA we are so overwhelmed by material goods and wanting the best of everything. It is human nature and it is also embedded in us by our culture. We are all guilty of it. I know I am extremely guilty of it. But I say this: Give it all up. Give everything up until you have nothing left. Give all of your posessions, your thoughts, you life. Give it all.

Now at this point you are probably thinking that I am crazy and ready to ask me why I am still surrounded by material things. Let me explain. For most people, it would be unwise and unnecessary to literally give these things away. If everyone tried to do that, you wouldn't even have anyone to give them to! So what are you supposed to do? Offer them up to the Lord. Thank Him everyday for all He has given to you. Use these things for good instead of evil. If we all got rid of everything and walked around in a desert, sure we would be humble, but how would we be helping the spread of the Good News? Instead, take you talents, take your earthly baggage, and do something with it. This is part of what I am doing. I know that a college kid with a religious based blog is not going to change the world. But maybe it will inspire one person, just one person, to change something, and that is how the world will be changed.

I'm Back, and Food for Thought, or Hungry Stomaches

Sorry for the delay. I came back from the trip and was thrown right back into a lot of school work. The next couple of posts will probably all deal with the Dominican unless other topics arise.

What have you eaten today? How many times have you eaten today. I know that I have not yet eaten, but will probably have 2 large meals today, and maybe a snack of some sort. Why is this relavent? While in the Dominican we worked in Haitian refugee villages. In these villages there were people who lived a life of (relative) luxery such as the vodoo priest, and there were others who didnt even have enough money to rent a shack made from old oil cans. Part of what we did over the week was feeding the hungry. Unfortunately we did not have enough food to feed everyone. This is even more unfortunate when you consider how much excess countries such as the United States have. But we did what we could, and fed the children first. The children were amazing: They had stomaches that were bloated due to starvation, diseases due to malnutrition, and we come in bringing food, but they did not rush for the food. They would rather play with us (they kicked our butt in musical chairs), sing songs with us (they all have rythm and can keep a beat even on a plate), and just share in our company.

We also took some food to the garbage dump. There are people who both live and work in the dump. Their daily job is to sort through garbage, find anything of value, then go sell it. These people live a lifestyle that most "civilized" countries couldn't even fathom. They are walking around with two different shoes that they have found, neither one fitting correctly, sorting through piles of food waste and grotesque garbage, surrounded by flys and other insects as well as a stench that could make you gag from the entrance to the dump. But they too showed an innocence like the children of the village. A few friends and I got to play with the junkyard band. Others played baseball with the kids using a bamboo stick and a plastic bottle cap. Then we shared a meal and had to be on our way, but they asked us to visit their homes (for the ones that lived in villages) and offered us anything and everything they had.

So, when you sit down to eat today, I don't ask you to starve yourself, as that will be no help to the cause. Instead, say a prayer for those who will not get to eat today, and maybe find a way to help those who you can, such as taking left over food from restaurants and cafeterias to local homeless shelters.

Oh, you can see pictures from the trip at http://www.box.net/public/3dlbs44jqd
You may need to sign up for a free account. To view as a slideshow click on the "Actions" button and click "Photo Slideshow"

Not for the Weak of Faith

"Charity is patient, is kind; charity does not envy, is not pretentious, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, is not self-seeking, is not provoked; thinks no evil, does not rejoice over wickedness, but rejoices with the truth, bears with all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor. 13:4-7).

To have Charity is to love God above all things for Himself and be ready to renounce all created things rather than offend Him by serious sin.
( Matt. 22:36-40)

Well, in less than 3 hours I will be on my way to the Dominican Republic to help Haitian Refugees. Part of me wishes I was going back to Haiti this year, but it just isnt safe enough with the election and the kidnappings. However, I do trust that God is having me go for a reason. Project Haiti is always that "brick wall" I talk about that gets me going in the right direction again, and for the right reason. I ask that if you read this before March 12th, you say a little prayer for Project Haiti and the people we are going to help.
I will leave you with the Litany of Humility:

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, O Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, O Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I go unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.