I read this quote earlier on in the week and it resonated with me. The way the world works today is a race to make the most money possible, and as long as you're successful, you can buy your way out of having to deal with any consequences. However, the costs don't simply disappear, instead they fall on the rest of the world and the earth itself. As far as maturity goes, I believe society itself is in its teenage years. We had small beginnings in infancy, went through a stage of selfishness and lack of reasoning ability during the dark ages, then finally developed some independence and intelligence during the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions, but along with that came the arrogance and perceived invincibility that plagues the early teenage years. As intelligent and advanced a culture as we are, we are just now beginning to develop the first rudiments of true wisdom. Earth is not invincible or unlimited, and neither are we. Now, this doesn't mean we should drop everything and become organic family farmers like the old days, there's a reason quality of life is significantly higher now than it was then. Technology plays a huge role in society today, and is arguably the defining aspect of this age. But in our self-congratulating pride, we forget that nature is infinitely more complex, advanced, efficient, and beautiful than anything man has ever created. We have a lot to learn from our Mother Earth.
Changing gears to another kind of Life, I have been in contact with a man named Greg Roark who works with some churches in San Miguel, Panama, where I will be staying this summer. To say that I'm excited to be meeting and working with christians down in Panama in a completely different culture than convenience-centric America would be the understatement of the year. I cannot wait to get involved in the work that can be done there. For those who don't know, up in Gainesville this past week I was blessed with the unforgettable opportunity to work in God's kingdom by baptizing my close friend Sarah McIntyre, who has an unbelievable heart for God, at around 12:30 at night after a long talk with her and a short phone call to our preacher Phil Robertson. Afterwards, Phil told me: "I hope this is the first of many". As important as my education and this internship is to me, I know that more important by far is bringing glory to my God and Life to His children. I'm certain living in Panama this summer will be a great experience for me in many aspects of my life, and I will have a lot to teach and even more to learn.
On the fundraising side, I would like to thank each and every person who has offered to help me financially in this endeavor. It really means a lot to me, and I appreciate every little bit. My parents and I are doing our best, and I am currently trying to set up a fundraiser up in Gainesville with Chick Fil-A, but in order to make this happen we need a little help. And if there are any who would like to donate to this cause, first of all: thank you! And secondly, if you see myself or my family regularly, you can get the money to one of us, but if not, you can make a donation via Paypal to the following email address:
rackett@ufl.edu
Paypal is an extremely secure site used by tons of major companies and all you need is some simple information and my email address to donate.
In closing, I would like to stress what a great opportunity this is for me, for people of Panama, for our Earth, and for spreading God's glory to every corner. I believe great things can come from this summer and in years to come.
-Galatians 6:9
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