the good Samaritan

Estacion means 'season'. Estacionamiento, however, means 'parking'. That really threw me off today. I was having a great conversation with Emily about this 'season' of our lives, but I was actually talking about this 'parking' of our lives. Great.

Last night I had Didactica de las Matematicas again! Oh, such a fun class!! We did and talked about a bunch of activities that I could EASILY adapt for middle school or high school. (Lauren and Kristyn--I'll have to tell you about them!) We have class again tonight and part of our homework was to look up some more stuff in some text books in the library. So, after class I went with two of my classmates to the library. Oh man, these girls are so helpful to me!! They have explained assignments to me and helped me understand so many things!
Last week in one of our Calvin classes, we talked about the parable of the Good Samaritan. I think that most of the time when I think about that parable, I identify myself with the Samaritan. I want to be a good neighbor to the people around me and to help and serve them unconditionally. However, in class we talked about this parable from the point of view of the scribe whom Jesus is talking to. The scribe would definitely want to identify himself with the priest or the Levite, but since they do nothing to help the beaten man, the scribe cannot identify himself with either of those people who recieve so much respect in his culture. Furthermore, because of the terrible reputation of Samaritans, the scribe CANNOT identify himself with the Samaritan. Therefore, his only choice is the man who was beaten and robbed and left for dead.

So, I've been thinking about what it means to identify myself with the man who fell into the hands of robbers and recieved the mercy of a stranger. That is really not far off from my reality rigth now. No, I'm not almost dead on the side of a road, but I am quite dependant on people who I didn't know two weeks ago and who are at home in a culture that is different from my own. I am dependant on them to eat food, I am at their mercy to learn about this culture, without them, I would have no place to sleep!! Rather than being the one with the power to help, I am in a position of receiving from mi familia. I am learning that that requires a lot of humility. It is often (for me) a lot easier and more comfortable to give than to receive, but God is stretching me and teaching me how to recieve well.

Father, thank You so much for mi familia here in Arequipa. Thank You for showing me Your love through them. Show me how to recieve well, and I pray that I might be a blessing to them as they have been to me. Help me to keep my eyes open that I might keep learning from mi familia and seeing You at work here, Jesus!