big cities and heartbreak

I travel a lot. I'm probably out of town for around a month or two every year. Wow, once that's written down it really sounds like a lot of time to be away from home! Anyway, this time I'm in New Orleans. This is the place that the annual conference my dad goes to (along with my whole family) has chosen for this year. And in some way, New Orleans is different from the cities from years past. Atlanta, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, San Diego, San Antonio, Toronto...they all were fairly similar, though the culture varied some and the weather definitely did. :) But there's something about New Orleans that is heart-breaking.

It's not, as you would expect, devastation from Hurricane Katrina just a few years ago. I expected to see at least some torn down buildings and ruined streets as we entered the metropolis of New Orleans. Surprisingly, aside from the usual graffiti, scraped-up walls and broken windows, I didn't notice anything terribly broken-down. The citizens of New Orleans - those that are left - have succeeded admirably in rebuilding their city. The two hotels I've stayed in so far have had more than 40 floors, buildings stretching high into the sky and boasting many luxuries. I've seen buildings that are from the 17th and 18th centuries that are amazingly preserved. The French Quarter is full of small shops and cafes, and the streets are full of people. I was amazed at the incredible normalcy of a city hit by destruction so few years before.

No, the heart-breaking thing about New Orleans is the presence of evil in the city. Every block or two, instead of a Starbucks as you'd see in most major cities in the U.S., you'll see a "Voo-doo Mart." Right outside Jackson Square, you'll see several palm-readers sitting there plying their trade. Everywhere you look, sin is advertised - and it's selling! There's something dirty about the people. Their clothes, their attitudes, the looks on their faces even make me think that they're trapped inside the sinful life they've created for themselves by the choices they've made. As I walk past these people on my way to Starbucks or a drug store for some water bottles, my heart breaks for them. The majority of them don't know the love of God. Many of them have heard of him, but they reject his grace.

I often think that if I could have one wish granted, I'd choose that everyone would want to know my Jesus, and would experience his amazing love. I feel so helpless when I realize that almost every second, someone steps into their eternal destiny - and many go to hell. I feel helpless when I realize that every single one of my relatives outside of my close family do not know Christ. From my grandparents on out, none know my Savior. I feel helpless when I realize that I can't make the decision for them, no matter how much I'd like to. All I can do is tell them about Him and pray my heart out. But sometimes God doesn't choose to save those who we beg him to save, and that's one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with, because I can't understand.

I love the fast pace and adventure of a big city, but it also opens my eyes to the millions and billions of people who don't know God. And as I walk the traffic-infested streets of New Orleans, I pray that God will open the eyes of those in the cities to the wonder of his love.