Coming at you again with a new post from the convent. In fact, today I'd like to share with you some thoughts about life in a convent. Now, I've only lives here for 4 days. Not really a lifetime. But still, in these 4 days I've had a chance to reflect on life. One of my biggest conclusions is that I am not made out for the life of a nun. Besides the obvious reasons, I just don't like quiet. I miss noise. I miss people. There are beautiful rose gardens here. And everyone (even the men!) have been commenting on how beautiful the rose gardens are. But I crave my barrio. I miss the laughter, the music, the noise of excited conversation throughout the cafe lined streets.
This is my room. A small humble room, just a bed and a desk with a chair. It overlooks the rose garden. Yeah. I'm sure others would thrive off of this kind of retreat. Time to think. Time to reflect. But I was restless. I wanted to escape. The walls of the convent aren't high, but they are there. It's a little bubble of neatly manicured gardens. And I feel trapped. The walls don't let me see outsiders. The walls keep others out. The walls seem to be my enemies here, not my protectors.
My mom tells me that when I was a baby, and she would put me in one of those slings so she could move around with me in front of her, I never wanted to be facing her. I wasn't interested in snuggling or feeling "secure". I wanted to face the world. I wanted to see what was going on. There were way too many interesting things in the world for me to see. And that is true for me today. I want a front row seat to the action.
So why am I here, living in a convent for a week?
Well, part of my dream job that God has given me, is to plan, coordinate, and run conferences. It's really been a crazy fun and intense run. It's my first time, and there were a few complications in the planning. But I have to say, I like it! Not just because it's a challenge, but because I am working to produce something that I really believe in: pastors who can train others in ministry. Because I am a woman, I think some people may assume that my ministry should be more in children's work, or counseling. But I love coordinating. The whole job of taking a vision, like a conference to train pastors to train others, and giving life to it. Making sure all the details are covered and all the problems get solved.
Here are the boys. The first conference was a group of 15 men. And me.
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