As most of you already know we left South Africa and arrived in Ecuador almost 2 days ago. Isn’t that insane that we are already in month 4!!! I wanted to use this blog to write about all that South Africa taught me and truly express the gratefulness I have for being able to experience the things that I did in these past three months. I was actually able to sit down and process these things while on my phone fast last month. This was something that was so incredibly hard for me, but I believe that it was so worth it.
1. I read a passage in Matthew. (Matthew 8 if i’m not mistaken.)- it was when the wind and waves got out of control and the disciples freaked out and were like “Jesus dude like you gotta stop this storm” and all He did was basically say “stop” and it was gone. It was in that moment that I laughed like actually out loud, and I was just like Lord how could they be so dumb to think that you weren’t going to help them, and it was almost as if He was like “Ariel, THATS YOU!!” I spent so much of my time in South Africa worried about change and the things I had no control over, but if I would just listen to Him then I wouldn’t have to worry because He would take care of them.
2. I learned that we are TRULY BLESSED to be able to use the internet to interact with each other. Every single day something happened, and I would always say, “I can’t wait to call so and so and tell them… oh waitttt I can’t.” It’s funny just how connected we are at the tips of our fingers, and not being able to stay connected for a whole month with people I don’t see anyway was extremely difficult for me.
3. I learned that when I get upset or feel lonely I push people away, and it’s almost as if I block out every thing and everyone so i feel nothing. then i let things pile up and it all comes pouring out when i’m in team time sobbing and saying “I’m sorry I’ve been a brat I just miss my family and I didn’t want anyone to know how I really felt because I’m having such a 1st world problem when my feet should be present here.” Living in community makes it extremely hard though to keep this pushed under the rug because at some point someone will notice and at some point you’ll have to tell someone because if you don’t then it’ll just leave you feeling worse.
4. In this last week I learned community, communication, and connection are EVERYTHING. you can’t have one without the other. -you can’t have a community that prospers without everyone willing to be on the same page with their communication and communication breeds connection. DEEP CRIES OUT TO DEEP. Which is why it’s so important as a community to be open to each other no matter what because if we aren’t we’re ultimately hurting the community around us by not communicating.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I’m excited to share with you all that I learn in Ecuador over the next three months.
-A. Star
