‘Come Gather around people, wherever you roam
And admit that the waters around you have grown
And accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’
-Bob Dylan
I have enjoyed this song for years now, and I don’t know about you but when I hear a song a million times over it begins to lose the impact it had in the beginning. I started listening to this song again after having listened to it so many times before and the words came alive again, like never before. I have been impacted in many ways here in Kathmandu, some good, some difficult and I have found myself broken before the poor…in shock at times and in awe at other times. I am thankful to have another day here but have found that each step forward takes me further into a place where I don’t know the answers.
I remember writing you all prayer letters over a year ago when I was still at home hoping and praying to come back to Kathmandu. Now I am here and wondering what was it that I was hoping and praying for. Was I hoping for many ‘souls to be saved,’ the poor to find justice, God to be recognized in places He isn’t, coming out to find myself, or coming to build relationships with those I love and yearn to live in solidarity with? I think it was a combination of these things. Funny thing is that I don’t think I have ‘saved any souls,’ actually Andrew my roommate was asked by a man at our church the other day:
“How many people have you converted this past year?”
Andrew replied
“Zero.”
The curious man then replied
“Oh you must not be doing it right.”
I thought to myself when I heard this, maybe Andrew is doing it the way it is suppose to be done. I don’t know.
Since the days of volunteering with The Well at Eastern Hills Community Church I had come to understand ministry as a gift of our life. Our life, a gift we can give to the poor, to the high school kids at the Well, friends at The Gathering Church, family, wives, husbands, to our friends, co-workers, and children. It is in our death to ourselves that life is brought to others. This may not make much sense, but I really felt affirmed the other day when I sat with Sister Bernadette who serves with and has given her life to the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa) serving the elderly who have been forgotten in Nepal. Sister Bernadette was telling me “our lives speak louder than our words.” Sister Bernadette’s words affirmed that what I can give the Servant Team is my life when I serve along side them. My prayer is that these times speak louder than my attempts to speak about the beauty of life with the poor and the heart of Jesus. Sister Bernadette also described how she loves to talk about Jesus when she is asked about Him, and that in those times her friends are eager to listen.
So back to an amazing song written by Bob Dylan, I have found myself at times drowning in emotions, thoughts, questions and lifestyles. Yet, I have been encouraged and supported by all of you, by our friends here that I feel so grateful to call friends, and in my journey into understanding what it means to have faith and hope. I admit the waters around me have begun to grow and I find myself learning how to swim to save my life, but I am also realizing it is a life that I am learning how to give. The best part of the above lyrics “Come Gather around people, wherever you roam”, I have found it so important that we do as such. Maybe we come from a different church background, gender, religion, ethnicity, age, social class, caste, education wherever it is that we are roaming may we do it together.
Love and Peace,
Calvin
smothersc@gmail.com
smothers.wordpress.com
p.s. On what is an extremely exciting note for all of us here in Nepal and all over the world, Word Made Flesh is getting a make over. New things to come include a new website, logo, prayer letters, version of The Cry, and online store. By the time you will have received this most of the updates will have taken place. Check out www.wordmadeflesh.org to see the sweat and tears put into what we hope will serve you better.
