thoughts from the border

This post will be short because I am exhausted, but I just have to write. I just have to tell the story. I simply am not sure which story to tell.

I could tell you that at the catching point, which is Roszke on the Hungarian / Serbian border today, I was overwhelmed by the number of people and the needs. The basic needs and the aftermath of those needs – trash, basic health care, hunger. My friend Chris and i organized clothes for 5 hours and did not finish. When I go back tomorrow, it will be a mess again.

I could tell you that the BBC and CNN and every major newspaper carried footage of a break-away group of refugees that ran through a corn field and that I watched the whole thing occur.

I could tell you that I stooped down to admire a sweet one-month old baby girl and the mother offered to let me hold her, but I had to say ‘no’ because my hands were filthy.

I could tell you that the Hungarian police have an extremely difficult job. In general, they  conduct themselves with strength and fairness.

I can tell you that this issue is so complex and that every lens you pick up makes sense, but they will lead you to conflicting conclusions. The question is, which lens is the Jesus lens?

A few things that I know for sure:

It takes a community to do this thing. Not only a Christian community, but people pulling together. How many Germans and Spaniards and Swiss did I meet today? A ton. And that is the kingdom .. even for those that do not know Jesus yet, this giving of ourselves is a transformational act of grace. A God grace.

I know that God is present. When we carry him inside of us, there is a difference. He works in mysterious ways – God ways. To simply be present in a situation is tremendously transformational for me. Our souls need that.

This isn’t my usual piece of writing. My body and my mind are past that creative force tonight, but we want you to know that your giving is making a difference, that your praying is bringing miracles, and that our God is at work in powerful ways.

Did you pray for us today, for the situation, for the people? We hope so. Please continue.