Here are the responses to some of the questions you guys sent me the other week! =)
What do you think is next in your life?
This is the most popular question, so it can go first.
This summer looks like a hodge podge of fun things, visiting family and friends, taking a CNA class (hopefully), going to Georgia for Project Searchlight, going fishing with my dad in Canada, can’t say life will look too stressful and I’m excited for all of it. This fall, I’m taking time off to prepare to be an aunt……just kidding! Not kidding about the aunt part – that’s true – YAY!!!!! – but kidding about taking time off. In August, I’m planning on going back to school at UNI for a bit to take pre-requisite classes in order to apply for Physician Assistant programs sometime in the future. That’s about as far in advance as I’ve planned, because it seems like plans always seem to change right when I think I have them figured out 🙂
Do you see yourself continuing this journey later in your life, possibly not in the same situation as you are presently with, but should another opportunity arise? Why or why not?
I have thought about a couple different opportunities to do ministry in the future, possibly in the in-between time before PA goodness, the two options that make me excited thinking about are:
First – applying to lead a passport group, which is a 3-4 month, one location, mission trip through AIM for college aged students.. I’ve learned a lot team leading on the race, and would love to have a leadership role focused more on mentoring and discipleship. College ministry is something I’m really interested in, plus it would be awesome to stay in one location for the entire time of ministry.
The second option I’ve considered is applying to volunteer at Sarah’s Covenant Homes in Hyderabad, India. (http://schindia.com/). This is a special needs orphanage, that a few teams on my squad were able to work with in India, and I would love to work with the children in their critical care home. This is a home for children who need a lot of medical attention, so they live close to the hospital in Hyderabad. I love India, children and the idea of being able to learn about medicine and physical therapy, and this would be a wonderful opportunity to see how all of the above can work together.
What was your favorite country and why?
This is a really hard question for me, because I have favorite countries for different reasons. For example:
Nepal was my favorite country for adventure.
India was my favorite country in terms of culture and my relationship with my host sister.
Turkey is also a favorite, because I have found a love for the middle eastern part of the world.
And South Africa was my overall favorite country because of the ministry we worked with, the people we met, and the country is a beautiful place.
You have gone to a variety of places on multiple continents. If we were able to visit just ONE of the locations you have been, which one place/country would you recommend? And, what would be a must-do / must-see thing for us to experience there that is not part of the standard tourist thing to do?
Okay, I guess now I have to pick just one for you guys. I might be saying this because I’m here, but I would highly recommend visiting Turkey. It’s amazing to be in the part of the world where the church first began, and it gives you a completely new perspective on Paul’s missionary journeys. I haven’t been there, and it’s kind of a touristy thing to do, but every one recommends going to the ancient city of Ephesus and other historical places that Paul stopped at on his journeys. We have a team in Antioch, where the first church began, and we visited Tarsus the other day, which is Pauls’ birthplace, basically all of Turkey is bursting with awesome biblical history and beauty.
If you were to establish a foundation for a group that you have done mission work with on your journey when you return to America, what need would be the most needed of the groups you have worked with? What group would you pick?
I would establish a foundation for the Human Dignity Center in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. It’s a project with Jerusalem Ministries, and a school for kids in the Port Elizabeth township. Right now the school is from pre-school to 3rd grade, and they help the 3rd graders get into different schools outside of the township, when otherwise many of the kids would not receive an education and continue in the cycle of poverty. I’m pretty sure, when I left they were looking for resources to expand into higher grade levels, and for funds to help with activities in their after school program.
This is probably not the ministry with the highest need, but there is still a great need here and it was one of the most well organized ministries we worked with, so if there were to be a foundation for it I know that money raised would be spent wisely and I trust the organization and its leadership a lot.
Was there a time you were ever afraid?
Nope! Well actually, the night I was throwing up in South Africa in the thunderstorm and had to sleep in the bathroom by myself and the power was out. That was scary, because it was so dark and the bugs in South Africa are about 10x bigger than they should be.
What’s the funniest moment of the trip??
I really can’t pin point my finger on a specific moment. India was by far the country with the funniest moments, because it was so different than anything I was used to and there were a lot of miscommunications and the food made everybody fart a lot.
One thing you have learned about yourself, that would not have been evident without this journey?
I’ve learned that having faith and seeing what’s hopeful is much harder for me than seeing what’s directly before my eyes. Along with that, I’ve realized that my role in the body is to fight for hope and to uncover the goodness and beauty underneath simple or difficult circumstances. I’ve also discovered that I love to write, so we’ll see how the two work together.
You’ve seen so much of the world, what’s your biggest aha moment?
I’ve had multiple “aha” moments, when something clicks and the world makes a little bit more sense. Talking with our brothers in Cambodia about their dreams to be doctors and lawyers, staying after class in South Africa to talk to the boys who made the most trouble about their families and how they’re scared when they sleep at night, but still have joy during the day – praying with Huseyin Abbi and their family before we eat together, flying over Mount Everest and learning the true meaning of the word magestic.
I really can’t name them all, but what all of these moments have in common is the fact that they are undeniably soaked in the lord’s presence, and it’s when he reveals himself to me in moments like these, when the world makes a little more sense.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned on your journey?
This is the hardest question, so of course, I procrastinated and saved it for the end. There is not one, sole lesson that I have learned that is more valuable than another or that stands out to me right now, because the last year has been filled with lessons and growth and new lessons and new growth.
I promise I’m not trying to procrastinate even longer, but in order to organize all the thoughts going on in my head about lessons learned the past year, I’ll write a blog to answer this question 🙂
What day do you come home?! And when would it be okay/acceptable/welcomed for me to come see you?!!?
I fly in to DSM June 2 and just come on over whenever you want!! Or send me an email/text and I’d love to get coffee or ice cream and share some stories from the last year!
