The year after high school I spent 8 months working in a small village outside of La Paz, Bolivia. Seeking to serve God, a young lady from my home church in Asheville began working to build a home for orphaned and abandoned kids there. We worked alongside the villagers to construct a home where those kids who had been left behind would have a safe and loving place to call home.
As we collaborated with the villagers to build this home, we began to better understand their challenges, including no electricity or running water. When we were not building the orphanage, we played games with some of the orphans, facilitated a Sunday School class, taught them English, and enjoyed fellowship with them.
During our time spent with them, we learned just as much from the villagers as they learned from us. They taught us a great deal about their culture and way of living, including how to access water and how they subsisted off the land. They showed us endless love, hospitality, and thanksgiving. It brought me great joy to spend time with these villagers and see life through their perspective.
Joy is a true gift that God provides us, and we are called to share this joy with others. During this Advent season, we can share joy by seeking ways to serve others, showing hospitality, and finding meaning in the simple blessings in our lives. Christmas time is a busy season, and we can easily forget to take time to celebrate the true reason for the season that we are enjoying. While our schedules and other obligations may seem important, we must intentionally seek joy and challenge ourselves to share this great gift from God with those around us.
Zac Rogers can typically be found piloting a plane, entertaining the cats (Summer and Ellis) on his days off, playing outdoors, or being sous chef to his girlfriend, Kathleen Carswell.