Hello Friends! So, a little life update on my end, I was intentioned for the World Race Gap year leaving in August for Costa Rica, Cambodia, and Swaziland. However, on June 21st my father suddenly passed away and it really turned things upside down. This led me to defer to a later trip to World Race Semesters South America in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Naturally, I was distraught losing my father, but the Lord was amazing to comfort me. So long as I turned my self towards him, he filled my cup tenfold with comfort and love. Did I still ugly cry most days for months? Oh absolutely! I have a journal of the world’s worst and saddest poetry in a box hidden somewhere, it’s truly horrendous! But I kept it, because it shows the natural response a person has when the person you love most calls the other person you love most home, away from you.
2 Corinthians 1:4 says “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
I was shown this verse the night of my father’s death and what it showed me is that just as Jesus does with everything, he even gives our suffering and loss purpose. Jesus doesn’t care any less for me and was not indifferent about my father passing, he was extremely involved and cared greatly. He desired my closeness and surrender to comfort and teach me at my most broken time, so that I may be able to walk with another through loss. I miss my dad every day, but I’m not forever broken because Jesus conquered the grave. I can rest in full confidence that the good God we are privileged with as humans will care for him and had a place prepared for him in Heaven.
Now, In Colombia I have the privilege of serving at Cuidad Refugio in Medellin. It is an addiction recovery center that houses homeless men at night, holds church services, has English classes, hosts children for all sorts of things, and is essentially a wonderful arm of the Lord. I’m just really thankful the Lord brought me through this past 7 months and has led me here, to hand back whatever blessings I can.
