23 June 2009

battlefields

oftentimes, aid workers and missions volunteers fit more or less to certain criteria: well-travelled, minimalistic, outdoors-y, big-hearted, and vocal about their passions. admittedly, i fit few if any of those criteria. i've been told "you're not exactly low-maintenance" and "i never imagined you'd want to go on missions", which makes me laugh ;p not because it's not true, but why does there need to be preconceived qualities of an aid worker or of someone wanting to go on missions?

lately i've been questioning more and more of what my place or where my calling is in this diverse world. if i had a say, i'd be an international food taster/blogger. i think i'd be quite good at that (: but really, if i had a say, it would be a position which involves alot of travelling and eating.

lately i've been learning more and more that it matters less what i want and more what God wants, more what there is a need for. i've been questioning how i can use my technical skills for change and have crossing my fingers that the answer will be one in which i can work directly with international development (travelling included!). in recent conversations, i've been told
"maybe the corporate field is your mission field. that it's not bad to make money because initiatives need to be supported somehow. if you can get a good job that pays you well, take it! because there are many people who need your support"
part of me says "Yes!" the corporate world is my battlefield. i could mitigate change amongst the for-profit sector. i could encourage people to be stewards of their money. how many ways have i complained that the corporate sector cares too much about themselves and money and too little about injustice? maybe my place is in the corporate world. but another part of me says "No..." i want to work with people. i want to be amongst the poorest of the poor and be there when they have their first taste of clean water.

so God, i'll wait for Your verdict, otherwise, i'll fail.
Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.
acts 5:38-39

3 comments:

  1. Before I came to Canada, I was told I should be an engineer.
    Grade 10 careers class told me I should go into science.
    My undergrad diploma says I'm a math geek.
    My grad one will say I'm a bean counter.
    Crazy hippie, academic, teacher, & social activist are just some of the others.

    Labels are a way to categorize things, a way to avoid to have to think too much, a way to oversimplify a complex world!

    But you don't need any of the labels; you don't have to follow any of the paths others have defined.

    Regardless of what you do and how often you change it, it's all part of the KLugo Journey...never ventured before!

    All that matters is your remembering why you are doing it and knowing that you always have people by your side!

    Keep traveling, eating, (& sleeping!), Trailblazer!:D

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  2. i can picture you and i traveling and volunteering and eating and blogging around the world. can we please do that? imagine us with our backpacks & DSLRs.

    don't worry about the corporate life stuff now. be in the moment because you're right where you're supposed to be. remember that Deloitte guy I met a couple weeks ago? This is only the beginning kris... so much is ahead of you..build a strong heart, the world needs you.

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  3. hamoon: labels and stereotypes really don't do anything but discourage people. i never really thought twice about how i don't fit into the "mould" of an aid worker because no matter what, my co-workers here and i have such a strong common passion that personal characteristics (nerdy, asian, and..not outdoors-y) doesn't matter in the end. thanks for the encouragement!

    ruby: hehe. can we please? and turn our blog into a book. ruby&kris' global escapades. i like the sound of it already. oh corporate world. ruby, we have the chance to turn the corporate world upside down. lets do it. sushi lunches? YES thank you (:

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