It Took Me Over 45 Minutes to get Mcdonald's Breakfast This Morning

And when I got home I realized I didn't get my hashbrown...the prince of breakfast foods.

I have ran into many of these "first-world problems" while abroad in Guatemala as I do every time I travel to countries that do not have the accessibility to daily resources that the US has.  For instance, I have to walk everywhere I want to get to; there are hardly any street signs, and nothing is labeled with a price.

For those who've not become accustomed to such norms, frustration and ethnocentrism can easily surface.  However, I have learned over time to find the beauty in these instances where everything I want isn't at my finger-tips.  It allows me to step in the shoes of the billions of people around the world who go this routine every single day.  As a Christian, I believe that this is an essential realization to be like Jesus.  After all, Jesus lived the life of a common man, and one that was certainly not easy.

To be honest, despite all of the amazing advances in information, technology, and transportation over the millenia, one important question needs to guide their purpose which is: Do they bring us joy?

I believe this question to be of the utmost importance because if we are using something to bring us joy when it in fact will never do that, we are living a lifestyle that of a psychopath; someone who expects different results despite performing the same act over and over.

Nevertheless, I do not despise new technologies and for some reason consider them inherently evil.
One of my fondest memories growing up was sitting in a movie theater with a bucket of popcorn with my siblings at the $1 show.  However if I am going to truly enjoy such technology as going to the theater I must remember that the community I experience with my siblings is what gives me joy.  Seeing the movie certainly gives me happiness, but the existence of community is an essential part of becoming joyful.

At this point I should probably wrap this back into my trip here...and I promise it does.  I notice that those with less here in Guatemala seem to always have their close friends and family with them.  In order to get groceries, a mother needs her daughter in order to carry them all home.  If a family wants Mcdonald's for dinner, then they all have to go and eat together since there are no drive-thrus here.  These small occurrences bring people together because for the majority here in Guatemala, community is key to survival.

I believe that one of the reasons Jesus calls us to live simple lifestyles (financially) is so that we never become too self sufficient.  After all, if we are supposed to rely on God for our needs, how will we know how that works if we only rely on ourselves?


Gracias para leyendo! (Thanks for reading!)