The Good Part.
I briefly went to a church in Houston before moving to Ecuador called City Life, and attended a great weekly small group where every few months they would gather on a Friday night to sing worship tunes and break bread (because, yes, this is Texas and we know how to EAT). Terrence, our leader, called it "Good Part", inspired by a bible story where Jesus, while grateful for Martha's work and care, showed her through Mary's example that sometimes the best thing to do in His presence is to sit, meditate, and worship by listening. It's probably something that I needed at the time, but I always had some kind of conflict whenever it happened, and I regret not making it a priority to attend.
As I have documented my personal challenges alongside my successes as a Peace Corps Volunteer, it always comes down to balancing my propensity to work myself to the bone with experiencing life alongside my community. The latter always feels less fruitful to me, and these days I have to constantly remind myself that being a good friend is not just part of the goal, but one of the main objectives set forth by President John F. Kennedy and Sargeant Shriver. I come from another part of life where goals were preset with key performance indicators and other metrics that I had to simply deliver in order to prove my value to the team, so it taking some time to adjust to this new system of productivity.
Jipijapa, Manabí
My closest bank, post office and supermarket - only an hour's bus ride away!
So as I move forward this month, I am choosing to find the "Good Part" in the work that I am able to accomplish. Last Sunday, I visited a new church, and although the customs were different, I was still welcomed with a lot of love that gave me the motivation I needed to make this week a good one. On Tuesday, my walking club took a different route than usual and we found a wonderful walking path into a rural part of town and watched the sunset behind the mountains. It was perfect. This weekend, I'm going to find a guitar and start taking lessons with a Colombian guitarist with the hopes of playing & singing for my host families some day soon. I'm also looking forward to celebrating life with one of PCV faves for her birthday at one of our special places in Manabí.
In all these spaces I find God, and I feel the presence of Jesus calling me close again. These are the moments I should look forward to, and orient my life around more often. This is where I find my peace.
Who/What/Where/When is your good part?
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On Another Note: My Dad's going on a 200-mile bike ride to raise funds for a Summer Camp in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. We'd really appreciate your support for the cause!
Please donate and share this link: http://gofundme.com/goingupyonder
