This got pretty intense this morning, when several strikers hurled stones and shattered the windows of a non-striking bus while passengers were still inside. I only saw this video documenting the chaos, but I heard that this happened in other parts of the city as well (just a few blocks down from Marangatu, there was another bus attack!). So far, 31 people have been arrested for violent conduct, with an estimate of 300,000 Paraguayans affected by the strike.
I spend a total of four hours per week riding the colectivos, so this strike is going to make the next few days a bit interesting. I failed the first test of faith when I was stranded at the bus stop (I didn't know there was a strike yet), and began to worry when I didn't see a single bus for at least half an hour and the clock ticked closer and closer to the starting time of my first class. You would think I should know better than to grow anxious in seemingly hopeless times based on past evidences of God's mercy in my life, but sometimes -- okay, most times -- I am still so forgetful. Too often my memory of those times is clouded by the "urgent" and "important" situations of the present, and I start to stress out because I've briefly lost sight of the bigger picture. (Sounds a little familiar.)
Time and time again, God has been gracious towards me. And today was no different, when my neighbor called in concern, asking me if I'd managed to catch any buses and if I would like a ride to Marangatu. SO NICE! Thanks to my kind neighbor and the grace of God, I was saved from my transportation woes and even arrived two minutes before class. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the students haha), some students and teachers had to miss school because there were no buses to take them.
The Bible tells me that getting myself worked up about these things (like how I'm going to get to and from Marangatu in the week to come) is not only foolish, but pointless.
Christine, remember who God is and what He has done. Don't worry and don't just be happy, be joyful. Always.
Prayer: to always remember first things first; for safety during this strike; for these disputes to be resolved quickly and peacefully
I spend a total of four hours per week riding the colectivos, so this strike is going to make the next few days a bit interesting. I failed the first test of faith when I was stranded at the bus stop (I didn't know there was a strike yet), and began to worry when I didn't see a single bus for at least half an hour and the clock ticked closer and closer to the starting time of my first class. You would think I should know better than to grow anxious in seemingly hopeless times based on past evidences of God's mercy in my life, but sometimes -- okay, most times -- I am still so forgetful. Too often my memory of those times is clouded by the "urgent" and "important" situations of the present, and I start to stress out because I've briefly lost sight of the bigger picture. (Sounds a little familiar.)
Time and time again, God has been gracious towards me. And today was no different, when my neighbor called in concern, asking me if I'd managed to catch any buses and if I would like a ride to Marangatu. SO NICE! Thanks to my kind neighbor and the grace of God, I was saved from my transportation woes and even arrived two minutes before class. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the students haha), some students and teachers had to miss school because there were no buses to take them.
"And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [...] So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today." (Matt. 6:27, 34)Aside from these transportation issues, today definitely had enough troubles of its own -- no need for me to go and heap more piles of unnecessary worry onto myself.
Christine, remember who God is and what He has done. Don't worry and don't just be happy, be joyful. Always.
Prayer: to always remember first things first; for safety during this strike; for these disputes to be resolved quickly and peacefully
yes joyful! but yes, please be safe and I'll be praying for you!
ReplyDeletehi christine... i concur with esther! btw, i went to go get a jamba juice and lo n behold it was your brother working behind the counter. haha
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