I hear two voices- one telling me that I ought to be accomplishing things for God, that I should be striving very hard to care for the poor and oppressed. And so I pursue that. I am working to improve food access in underserved communities. And so I take classes, read lots of dietetics journal articles, talk with friends, attend workshops, and apply to graduate school for nutrition.
And then I'm hit with this thought-provoking quote by Henry Nouwen about the importance of the ministry of presence, "My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn't be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes and hugs that you do not simply like them, but you truly love them."
I pray that God will continue to give me grace and understanding to know how to integrate action with the ability to simply "be".
PS. Have you ever heard of a "Veggie Mobile"? This is my current project of action.
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