Relationships and Journeys

I have been in the Dominican Republic just over two weeks now, and I am trying to figure out where the last two weeks have gone. This past week at the orphanage we did a camp at a church in a small village called Laguna Salada. It was located in a little white church building, one of the churches that you see in the movies. I am at this point trying to figure out where the last week has gone. That week was the fastest week that I have ever encountered in my life. It is unbelievable to think that I am going into my third week here in the D.R. and this time in 2 weeks I will be at my home in Danville, Kentucky. As we keep on striving to be imitators of Christ I ask you to keep us in your prayers as we continue our journey. Pray that God gives us the energy that we need to finish these next 13 days strong.

Going into what God has shown me recently I hope and pray the remainder of this blog makes sense. I know that I am guilty at this and you better believe that I am going to change this every chance that I get. Don't worry if you are confused, it will all make sense in a minute.

This past week I have been hearing a lot of life stories. Just four of us sitting around getting to know each others past, what they are feeling in the present, and what they would like their life to look like in the future. One thing that I quickly noticed was how much of life is shaped and formed by relationships. By relationships, I don't necessarily mean an intimate relationship. I am meaning more along the lines of your relationship with your friends, the relationship with your family, the relationships that have gone bad and the ones that are still going strong. Relationships are so crucial because they will be the trial and errors that form a persons life and also the base of what people use when they go to look for their spouse. It can literally tear someone down and have them build a wall so big that can not be broken down. Relationships are the chapters of our Journey. By Journey I mean our life story. After hearing different journeys, I have felt like I am on another level of friendship with those people. After hearing people's Journeys, you will find out what makes them happy, what makes them sad, what ticks them off, and what can lift them up on a bad day. The list really goes on and on because you hear their trials and errors but you also hear the good things that have gone on in someones life.

God intended on us to have realtionships and with the relationships I believe he has given us our Journeys. A journey that is supposed to be told. I was the guy that didn't look that far into the past of peoples lives. I never was interested in what happened to you when you were little or the boyfriends/girlfriends you may have had in High School. The divorce your parents went through or the mess that your life has been. I just wanted to be the one to tell the person "life will get better" and wanted to know what cool stuff we can do in the present and future.

After this week, I have a different opinion. I know that I may have jumped in friendships with people in the past but now I literally want to know their Journey. I want to know everything about it. It is one thing to have a friendship with someone, but it is another to have a relationship with them and the best way to move from friends to a true friendship in the form of a relationship (once again I dont mean bf/gf) is getting to know Journeys.

Like I said, I am guilty at rushing friendships. I think I am not alone in this boat though. I will be making changes when I get back in the states, and if I dont know your Journey, be ready to sit down and have a cup of coffee with me. We are going to exchange Journeys. If you are in the same boat as I. Reach out and get to know someones Journey. Be that person to climb over the wall that has been built up and if you can't climb, start digging because eventually you will see the side of someone that not alot of people have. Like I said, some of my best friends that I have, I don't truthfully know their Journeys. After exchanging stories, I think you will be glad that you set and listened and told.

I hope this blog made sense. I know alot of people would like to know what is going on down here with the kids, and the biggest tarantula that I have seen but their will be time for that when I get back in the states. So with saying that, I challenge you to reach out and get to know someones life story this week. Go get a meal with someone, buy their meal for crying out loud. People love to be talked to and people love to tell their Journey.

Much Love!
Jacob

Ps. Dad, I left you out last time and I just wanted you to know that soon we will be out jumping ponds stabbing frogs! Can't wait!

Also, if you go to orphanage-outreach.org today and scroll down to the photo of the day. It should be captioned "Susan teaching english to some campers" or something like that but if you look in the background towards the right side of the picture you will see me. haha