The Cyber Kazbá

About a week ago I moved to a foreign country. And to tell you the truth I don't know what to think of it. Its all been so surreal like I am just visiting and I will return home to the USA soon. But this isn't true, I am here for an indefinite amount of time and this will be my home. So what am I to do? So much of me is left back in the states; and I now find myself in a foreign land with foreign people who speak a foreign language. Can such a place really be my home. If home is where the heart is, why is some of my heart still in the USA?

I was stricken with theses thoughts (well as stricken as I guess I can get, because those who know me know that I don't really ever get stricken with anything) and I began to relate my problem with a common Christian Evangelical attitude, and that is of escapism... Escapism is the idea that this world is not my home and I just passing through. That Heaven will be so much greater than this hell-hole that I just can't wait to get there. The problem with such ideas is that like it or not this world is your home because God created it to be your home! Also I am not so sure that Heaven and this "hell-hole" are so distant from each other (spiritually and maybe even geographically). Christ came and ushered in the Kingdom of God, He spoke of it as if it was in our midst; growing like a little leaven all around us. Christ came to earth to bring heaven to earth not the other way around... And if we truly believe this, that the kingdom of God is all around us; it should produce two things (at least): worship and service. The coming and growing of the kingdom of God calls for great celebration and praise for what God has done, what he is doing and what He will do. Participation in the kingdom of God is bringing this news to the many who need to hear it; by helping the down trodden and the oppressed, releasing captives, and feeding the poor. All the while building a community that is focused on the Kingdom here and now.

So how does this relate to me moving to a foreign country and struggling to find a home? Its simple. It means that I am the number one recipient of the sermon I just typed. If home is where the heart is, my heart should be for the Kingdom of God; so no matter where I am, USA or CR, I will always be at home. Hopefully I can build a community here that is like minded because on my own it will be hard.