When I was blessed with the opportunity to commit to a year
of service with the Dominican Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
in Zambia, a wise person told me, “The Lord is never outdone in generosity.”
While at the time I didn’t understand the context of this promising hope
offered to me – my eyes are slowly being opened to the generosity that
accompanies my feeble attempts at following God's call to love.
When people call me a “volunteer” – my stomach turns a little
because in many ways I feel like a spoiled child, not a volunteer. The good
Lord has not only provided me with a wonderful support of family and friends
here in the States – but He has already provided financially for my trip
through the grateful hearts of those around me. He has blessed me with a
support of love from Zambia that I can sense just through emails I receive from
the Sisters.
The generosity of support and love poured out upon me from my
family and friends already far surpasses anything that could be seen as “giving
up my life for a year to serve those in an underdeveloped country.” While those
who will soon bless my presence for a year may live in an underdeveloped
country – I am well aware that I am living with an underdeveloped soul – a soul
that is overwhelming blessed to hear from those in Zambia, “Christine will be
accepted in our community and country for exactly WHO she is.” It is in
receiving such love from those to whom I am still yet a stranger, that I am challenged to look at the opportunities God
is placing before me and encouraging me to accept everyone in my own life for
exactly WHO they are.
I am still in the States and my heart is enlarged daily as I can feel
the generosity poured out from the Lord through my family and friends here – but also
for those in Zambia who will soon be my family as well. When we offer up a drop
of ourselves to the Lord – He graciously showers us with unending rainfall of blessings
upon our souls. Praise God for His goodness, His blessings of my family, friends, and those who bless me by already generously and graciously accepting me into their home.
