We grew up the best of friends. Cousins by birth, sisters by
heart. Although our homes were separated by thousands of kilometres, it didn’t
matter. Each time we were reunited, it was as if we had never been apart. No
one knows me like my cousin Erin does.
But our differences also significantly defined us and often
had us questioning each other in a bid to understand where the other one was
coming from. Especially as we grew into young adults. I was the dreamer and the
romantic. Erin was the realist and activist. I loved romantic movies, she loved
musicals. She loved news and politics, I loved the entertainment news. I went
to uni and studied business, whilst Erin went to uni and studied politics and
religion.
These differences also spilt out into our Christian faith
and walk. Both of us are very strong Christians so our desire to live for Jesus
was our strongest bond. What I couldn’t connect with Erin about was her passion
for social justice, her fight for the poor and her missional heart. Don’t get
me wrong – I admired her immensely for her passion and advocacy. But it didn’t
interest me. I believed God had called me to minister in other areas that I was
passionate about and that was different to Erin’s calling.
I believed this – up until 2 years ago. In 2011, I applied
for a job with World Vision as Regional Relationships Coordinator - and I was successful.
This excited me. For different reasons than you may be thinking. Firstly, I was
excited I was working for a Christian organization but I was mostly excited that
10 years after graduating from my Human Resource Management degree, I was
finally able to use it! And of course, when I told all my friends and family,
Erin was the one who was the most excited for me. And so began a new season of
God teaching me.
What I have learned in this past two years has changed my
heart and my idea of what Christ calls us to as his followers. Working for
World Vision opened my eyes up to a world I never realized existed. A world that
needs our help. We are citizens of an entire globe and when Jesus call us to
love our neighbours, he means the poor hardworking farmers in Ethiopia, as well
as the people who live next to us.
Isaiah 58 tells us that if we spend ourselves on behalf of the
hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed then our light will rise in the
darkness and our night will become like the noonday.
My blindness to God’s people and their need for justice has
been lifted. The light has shone in – the light of Christ’s love for his people
– into my heart. And now I want to shine that light stronger than ever before.
Sadly, today is my last day with World Vision. I have had to
leave this beautiful organization for personal reasons, but I am so grateful. I
am grateful for the people of this organization who work tirelessly to help
bring sustainable change in the lives of the poor. I am grateful to the people
who partner and support World Vision, giving out of themselves to help others.
I am grateful to Erin who is an inspirational example of what it is to have a
missional heart and passion for justice. And I am grateful to God for opening
my eyes and lifting my blindness and for breaking my heart for the things that
break His – so I can love his people.
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