October 2010 Antigua, Guatemala
This is it…This is wind down time, the end is drawing near. This is month 11 of my 11 month journey around the world. If you had asked me back in October if I ever thought this year would finish I would have said NO. I never thought the end would come, that I would be away from my home, family and friends forever but here I am writing this blog with only two weeks left in this month. It seems surreal to think that I have only 6 days of ministry left after spending 45 weeks on this race. On August 24th I will take a 36 hour train ride back to New Delhi with my team. I will meet up with the rest of my squad for a few days before flying back to the States on the 31st.
This month has been quiet, pretty laid back and chill when it comes to ministry. We spend a few hours a day going into the slums and teaching the children English, Bible stories and songs. However there has been a few holidays this month, as well as flooding in the slum so ministry has been cancelled more than once. On the one hand I am disappointed because this is my last month here. I want to give my all. I want to leave it all here, I can rest when i am home. But then I remember that there will be more. I know that the Lord will bring me back on the field, this isn’t the end.
View of the slum from the building at which we tutor
These last few weeks have been a little glimpse into what life will be like when I am back in the States. Our contacts have been awesome this month. They know this is our last month on the race and that we are preparing for probably the hardest transition of our short lives in a few weeks as we return home. They have told us that they want us to spend time with the Lord, really seeking out what He has for the next stage in our lives. It has been refreshing to not be so bombarded with ministry that is a struggle to find time alone with God. At the same time it is on us to make things happen or else life will just pass us by.
In this laid back schedule I have begun to see some ways the enemy may attack as I return home in a few weeks. I know there will be many people to talk with, many places I will want to visit, and many things I will need to do……And it will be my responsibility to make it happen. No longer will my time revolve around what the contact has planned for us, or what the logistics team has scheduled. For the first time in 11 months I can go to sleep whenever I want, I can get out of bed at the time of my choosing, I can spend an hour eating breakfast, or two minutes if I want. I can waste away the day watching TV or reading a book or talking on the phone. I know that it will be very easy to let the days and weeks slip by without doing anything productive but that would go against everything I learned this year. It will take everything in me to make goals, set deadlines, and make concrete steps toward the next stages of my life.
One of the ways the enemy attacks is through apathy, old routine and laziness. After seeing all that I have this year, it would be easiest to just sit back and forget about it because it may be overwhelming to know what part I have in it all. That would make the enemy happiest but it would also break the heart of God. So as I prepare to return home, I am praying against the ways the enemy wants to ruin my life. Instead I continue to grow deeper in my relationship with Christ because that will be the one thing to keep me on track.
Until Next Time
Love you Guys
Love Annalisa
Chilling in our room
Delicious Indian Food………by far best food on the race
