Day 106: Italy 2 1/2

There are 48 straight hours between MCYM Italy Beach Breaks. The busses and kids left last night after club, most of them at least. The next set does not arrive until tomorrow night. 48 glorious hours. It isn't like I am dreading this next week, or even wishing it wasn't, it is just that I really need some time away. This blog is part of my time away.

The Camp Darby library is open from 1000 hours until 1900. I will probably spend the majority of that time here. If for no reason other than the fact that it has air conditioning. This part of Italy can be described as warm. Not hot, just warm. I am enjoying the warmth, but just like most other humans, I long for what I don't have. Here, I don't have A/C.

Once again, there is so much to say that I can't begin. I keep sneeking away from this blog to look at other people's blogs. That leads to other people's blogs, and more people's and more and then I have spent all my computer time reading and not writing. Here are some of the blogs I hit:

Tiff's - nothing new.
Robb's - he is dating now, good job, I think
Adam's - too much to read
Cat's - still can't understand her
Justin's - sorry buddy, stupid article, didn't finish it
Jenn's - I spent most of my time there. It is weird to see more about a person through their blogs, but you get an even deeper insight from the comments left. I don't know Jenn that well, a few months, and the context that I know her in is Heidelberg, MCYM, Italy, Europe. She actually has friends in Ohio. Don't be offended Jenn, but it didn't hit me until just now.

I am curious how much I don't know about a lot of people now. We humans have such a small perspective of everyone else around us. I have thought about this before, but this week I was thinking about the relationship that God has with each of us. Let me put it in context.

This last week was spent with about 350 other people. Going into the week, I knew say 50 of them. That meant that there were 300 new people that I had the opportunity, if I chose to, to meet and build a relationship with. I started the week slowly, but then decided to get to know the names of the work staff. Twenty High School and College aged kids. I know all their names now, a little about some of them, nothing about some of them, and less than I want to about all of them. Of the 200+ campers, I met and know the names of maybe 25 above the 60 from Heidelberg. Including the other staff and volunteers from around Europe, I began new relationships or grew old ones with maybe 150 people this last week. These 150 relationships are all at different levels and all require different amounts of personal energy, but the key is, all require some energy. Heck, just remembering some of the names is stressful enough. Now, at the end of the week, you can stick a fork in me because I am done.

150 relationships and I am tapped completely dry. My question, or maybe not so much a question as a statement of awe is, "How does God do it?" He knows everyone, and more than just our names. He has a relationship with each human soul on this earth and with bllions of people that used to be on this earth. Amazing!! I am stretched and moved by each person that I meet and know. I am a unique individual with each person I know. Not because who I am changes, but the different aspects of who I am comes out uniquely to each individual person. If God really does have a relationship with each of us, then that alone would make Him a pretty powerful dude.

This next week is going to be especially draining because I basically have to start over. Besides the 20 work staff guys and gals, I won't know anyone and will have to build all new realtionships. Scary? No! Just tiring to think about. Which I am going to stop doing now.

I would write more about all that happened last week, but not yet. Partly because I am still processing all that happened. Hopefully tomorrow when the library is open from 1100 till 1700, I will be able to write more.

I have asked this before, and it caused a bit of a stir. I don't mean to do it again, cause a stir that is, but I am asking for prayer. I am tired, as previously alluded to, and next week is more of the same. In fact, I am going to sign off and go sit by the pool.

Until then and tomorrow.

Jason