Highlands (Song Of Ascent)
O how high would I climb mountains
If the mountains were where You hide
O how far I'd scale the valleys
If You graced the other side
If the mountains were where You hide
O how far I'd scale the valleys
If You graced the other side
O how long have I chased rivers
From lowly seas to where they rise
Against the rush of grace descending
From the source of its supply
From lowly seas to where they rise
Against the rush of grace descending
From the source of its supply
'Cause in the highlands and the heartache
You're neither more or less inclined
I would search and stop at nothing
You're just not that hard to find
You're neither more or less inclined
I would search and stop at nothing
You're just not that hard to find
I will praise You on the mountain
And I will praise You when the mountain's in my way
You're the summit where my feet are
So I will praise You in the valleys all the same
No less God within the shadows
No less faithful when the night leads me astray
You're the heaven where my heart is
In the highlands and the heartache all the same
And I will praise You when the mountain's in my way
You're the summit where my feet are
So I will praise You in the valleys all the same
No less God within the shadows
No less faithful when the night leads me astray
You're the heaven where my heart is
In the highlands and the heartache all the same
O how far beneath Your glory
Does Your kindness extend the path
From where Your feet rest on the sunrise
To where You sweep the sinner's past
Does Your kindness extend the path
From where Your feet rest on the sunrise
To where You sweep the sinner's past
The past few days have been nothing short of amazing.
Yesterday we did site work in the morning and went to Quito TelefériQo up Ecuador’s Pichincha Volcano in the afternoon. From the top, we could see the entire city of Quito. It was quite a sight! Then last night we had our traditional dinner on the mountaintop and ride back down on a "party" bus (complete with a mariachi band on the back).
Today, we spent the entire day at the site. Sounds of love and laughter filled the air all day long. I got the opportunity to go on a home visit this morning. To say this home visit was special is an understatement.
We visited a grandmother who was in charge of looking after her 6 grandchildren. When we arrived, we were greeted with a warm welcome into this very small home. We made small talk and got to know the family, but of course communication is always a barrier so the conversation didn't roll as nicely as I had hoped. As with each home visit we make, we present the family with a Bible and a box full of basic needs such as rice, oil, milk, etc., but this time was so much more. We were asking to take a photo with the family before we left, but she asked if we had a few minutes more so that she could offer us a meal. She said that she wanted to cook a feast for us, but wasn't sure if we would like it plus she had a broken arm so her daughter had to take care of preparation. Instead, they prepared beef and rice for us. Of course we couldn't turn down the meal that they had spent time preparing for us, so we sat together and broke bread. This might be one of the most powerful moments I have ever had in this country. According to our translator, it is a symbol of showing gratitude and wanting people to feel welcome. After eating, we took photos and headed back to the church.
Wow. What an amazing gesture. These people are so loving and kind. They are willing to give you the shirt off their backs just to make you feel welcome. They want us to know how appreciative they are for the work that we do here. These people, who have nothing, are willing to give us everything to show us how much they care. What if we all lived like that? What if instead of being greedy with our last dollar or our last piece of bread, we shared with someone else to make them feel loved? Isn't that what Jesus would do? Let that sink in for a few minutes.
We spend so much time chasing the next dollar or trying to keep up with the Joneses that we forget how to love others. We forget how to be kind, compassionate human beings. I could go anywhere else in the world to help people, but this is why I choose to keep coming back to this place.
Our translator told us that this was the first time in all of the home visits that they do that someone has prepared a meal for the visitors. God was testing our faithfulness. We could have chosen to say no or we could have rested in the knowledge that God was going to take care of us. I will choose the latter over and over again.
From the highest of mountains to the lowest of valleys, I will serve and praise Him until my very last breath.
