Out of the Country

It’s always a stretch to travel to a country where you don’t really know the language. It’s amazing how quickly you can feel lonely, stretched, confused, and small...simply because you can’t seem to communicate. I’m not sure this is the phrase, but I’ll give it a try “you don’t know what someone feels like until you’ve walked in their shoes”.

I’m not going to use this space to discuss the merits or difficulties regarding the number of people in the United States who speak a language other than English, other than to say, experiences like this give me a deeper appreciation for what it feels like to be in “someone else’s shoes.” For me, my compassion quotient increases.

Through the new series, Hope Lives, that we began last week, it’s my prayer that you’ll have a deeper appreciation for the plight of the poor, the least of these, the foreigner. All of these concepts are clearly displayed throughout the pages of Scripture. God’s heart is large for each of these three groups. I hope you and I gain a bit of the heart of God in the weeks ahead.

I’m writing this from El Salvador. You can follow my trip by going to our website, thecrossing.com. I’m posting videos to YouTube, as well as twittering and blogging daily about my encounters with the poor in some of the rural settings just outside the capital city of San Salvador. Lord willing I will be back this coming weekend; I look forward to seeing you. Until then check out what God is doing in El Salvador!

Tim Celek
Lead Pastor
The Crossing