Compelled by love...

What an awesome, fun-filled month it has been in Norway thus far! Put together 84 participants from 18 nations representing 4 continents in one place (Read Hald International Centre) and you have a portent concoction that has the sort of energy to create the vibrant atmosphere needed for cross-cultural sharing and learning. In each of these participants' lives, I sense a passion, a desire, a zeal, a fire to change the world. A closer observation of their lives reveals the burning, passionate heart of a global God who is on a global agenda to change people's lives and reconcile people to Himself through Christ. As I interact with them, I have seen my perspective of life expanded, my mindset challenged and my heart gladdened by the heart of fellowship here.

The Diversity at Hald International Centre, Mandal, Norway

Picture this: I reside in a small lovely room with four participants each representing a different country: Cameroun, Norway, Tanzania and Kenya, where yours truly comes from. I wake up earlier (mostly) and have the cool task and pleasurable experience of waking up each of them at different times. Before this, as I sit at the table, I watch them in their sleep and I thank God for this wonderful richness of diversity. I call to mind  that in the Bible it is written that a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, was seen by the apostle John, standing before the throne and before the Lamb at the end of age.  I feel glad to see each day how God is working out to make this come to pass.

As you move around and meet new faces, you will observe that we have many differences within the Hald community. We speak different native languages; we prefer different meals; we are fascinated by different sports activities; we have different cultural backgrounds; we have different worldview patterns; our countries are different, the climates we have come from are different. And the differences go on and on. Yet you will also realize something that that unites us. You can sense it in our cheerful play of volleyball or football, in the hearty laughter as we share meals, in the talk down the hallway, in the music as we sing our hearts out, in the yearning by each participant to make a difference in their area of placement, in the struggle to learn a new language, in the enthusiasm to go to a new part of the world and participate in changing lives, in the passion to read and learn and share. You realize that we are all compelled by love.

I pray that that love shall fuel our hearts and fire our bellies and move our feet and, above all, compel all of us at Hald to act wholeheartedly in making a difference as we share and learn  in our cross-cultural experiences around the world.