I get in the car after a long 3 days of travel and I’m on my way home. It’s so surreal. 695 hasn’t changed since I left. It is still all under construction. We still take the same exit Cromwell bridge if Dad is driving and Perring parkway if Mom is driving. I walk in the door and my chair at the kitchen table is waiting me. My bedroom, although a bit more clean than usual, is the same. All my clothes just waiting for me.
The next morning I wake up and other than the fact that I am unemployed nothing has changed. It’s like these 11 months never even happened.
Oh my dear sweet daughter, it happened
Remember that time in El Salvador, when little Moses screamed, “Look at me!!!”? And when you learned that you have a passion to love orphans? I promise, it happened.
Remember in Guatemala when you literally lived out the bible, when you fed orphans and prayed over widows? And when you learned how to pray big prayers? I promise, it happened.
Remember in Honduras when the sewage pipe near your bed exploded? And when you learned that living with 7 girls who loved you to the bones was better than living alone? I promise, it happened.
Remember the time in Nicaragua when you taught Mario’s son to swim? And when you learned that God has a plan although we rarely understand. I promise it happend.
Remember in Costa Rica when you got to watch the sunset with one of your best friends on a catamaran? And God taught you that your testimony can impact anyone you meet? I promise, it happened.
Remember in Panama when you got to drink coffe with the sweetest family on earth? And when God taught you how to love with everything you have even when you don’t want to? I promise it happened
Or in Columbia, when your little ginger nugget always wanted to be by your side as the two of you started trouble. And when God taught you that tears are good even if others don’t understand it? Yup, that too happened.
Remember in Ecuador when God sent you Martin, who was your best friend for the month? And when God taught you that even though your heart gets broken at every goodbye it’s not goodbye for ever? That too happened.
Or in Peru when Fiorella sat on your bed and asked you about everything you wanted in life? Or that God taught you that even in the dump all you need is the lining water? I promise it happened.
Or in Bolivia when you ended up in the hospital? Or when God taught you to pray without ceasing? I promise it happened.
Or in Chile when you hung out with Daniela and talked religion all night? Or when God taught you to take every moment captive with someone because you may never see them again? That too happened.
Or in Argentina when you got to evangelize and pray over people in the brick making town? When God taught you how to live out the fishes and loaves story day in and day out? I promise it happened.
It all happened. This year of crazy stories, of heart breaks, of valleys, of loves, it all was real. I promise it happened.
