Smile...?

I am struggling today..maybe I am experiencing culture stress, I don't know. Today Anna and I were able to travel down to a different area of the city and walk along the sea shore. We spent some time talking to the Lord about the people here. It was awesome to see the Lord's majesty all around, on the other side of the world, and just pray for people to have their eyes opened to see it too.

In John 13: 35 it says "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Today I am struggling with "How do we do this?" How do I show these people that I love them and that I love them because Christ first loved me, and filled me with His love. Walking home for the bakery today I had a moment where I just vented to Anna. Being nice is my thing. It's what I strive for in life. To be nice to people, to smile at them and talk with them and hopefully build a relationship with people. My friends often tease me that I am too nice and that the vendors in the mall are going to make me buy something one day because I am too nice. I want people to know that I love them because Christ loved me, and so being nice is something I work for in life. I don't always succeed but I love trying.

I feel like I can't even be nice here. I can't look the men and sometimes even the women in the eye, people on the street don't smile at one another in passing- or really at all, I can't speak the language and people hardly understand us. How am I supposed to show these people that I love them?! That Christ loves them? How do I even start? Today we were sitting on the bus with a handful of people waiting for the bus driver to get back from his break and I was just thinking how I would love to have a conversation with the lady sitting behind me. And I can't. And she won't look at me. And I can't show her any type of friendly attitude, let alone love.

Lord, show me. Teach me to be your hands and feet when all I know doesn't seem to work. I long for this to be a time of impact, show me the way.