Third World vs First World

This is my favorite wall in my room. The only things on it, besides a headboard, are these two pictures. They are a constant reminder of the gap between third world countries and our country.
The picture on the left is of a place that stole my heart several years ago. A place that feels so much like home when I'm there, that I miss it often. It is a picture of homes that surround the garbage dump of Guatemala City, Guatemala. A neighborhood known as the squatters area. Many people don't want to go hang out there, but for me it brings so much joy to hang out with kids and teens that live around the dump. Sure they smell, have little to no education, search for food in the dump and probably have lice, however they have faith like no one in the US. Little kids still run around with grins like the Cheshire cat and laugh those deep belly laughs that are super contagious. Everyone that lives in the squatters area just wants to hang out. They want to be heard. They want to share their story, and teach you as much as you might want to teach them and share Jesus. Run and play soccer with them for 10 minutes and they become your best friend. There are teens that are so jaded by what love is, that it has to be hard for them to understand the love of Christ, and yet they are so willing to sit and read the bible with you or sing worship songs. Just writing about this place makes me want to leave the comfort of my home and go visit again. And that is just part of why I love this picture. It is also a reminder to love the orphans and widows. To be the hands and feet of Jesus. To go where no one else is willing to go. To love the unlovable. To do all of it because Jesus loved us first!
The second picture, on the right, is from the top of the Empire State Building in New York. It reminds me daily that I live in a place of many blessings. Roof over my head, food in the refrigerator, new clothes in my closet, and clean air to breath. I know who my parents are and I love them. But despite all those blessings, I find myself sometimes wanting more. Wanting to be something more, do more, and have more. After all more is best right? NOT. The words on the picture say, Hope, Peace, Integrity. The more I have the less I need Hope, because the less I think I need God. I also think the more we have the harder it is to have Peace, since everyone wants what their neighbor has and will always be at war with ourselves and jealousy. Also the more we have/want the harder it is to keep your Integrity. But this is all possible when you realize how blessed you are to be living in this first world country. So this picture reminds me to Hope in the promises of Christ, to keep Peace with friends, neighbors, family and even enemies, and to keep Integrity amongst a society that definitely doesn't value it.

Favorite things in my room =)