My flight home from the hospital in Johannesburg went well. It is a whole new way to travel if you need a wheel chair or have crutches. Some of it was nice: like being in the front of the line in security and boarding first. Other parts were annoying: like having to wait over an hour for a wheel chair or not being able to go where you wanted to. I had crutches, but the airlines insisted on rolling me around in a wheelchair. I also hadn’t built up enough strength to walk for very long with my backpack. I met a lot of kind and sweet people, and God was obviously with me.
The famous hall in the Chicago O’ Hare airport.
It was a very emotional flight for me. I was excited to finally be home after being gone for 5.5 months, but I was also sad that I was leaving the Race, not knowing if I would be able to go back or not.
When we landed, I ditched the wheelchair and used my crutches to get to where I knew my parents would pick me up. I was on home turf now. I saw my dad, sister, and brother just as they walked in the door. It was so good to see them, but it was not they way I had expected to come home. (It’s really hard to hug people with crutches.) The drive home felt like a dream, and I ate leftover chicken noodle soup for my first meal home. My room was a sight for sore eyes, and I collapsed on my bed.
The first thing I bought in the States: Starbucks!
To my surprise, I adjusted to life at home fairly quickly. It almost felt like I had never left, and it scared me. I was expecting it to be hard to adjust to the 1st world culture after being in one of the poorest countries in the world, but it was easy. The Race almost felt like a dream.
However, the novelty of being home again wore off quickly. I missed my team and my close community. I didn’t see any of my friends on purpose while I was home since God had told me to invest in my family. I was lonely, and that surprised me since I dreamed of alone time while I was on the Race.
When my parents went to PVT (Parent Vision Trip) I missed the Race even more. Facebook was my worst enemy since I would see my friends with their parents in Guatemala, but I wasn’t there. I wanted to do ministry with my parents more than anything, but I wasn’t able to go. I wanted my parents to experience a mission trip, so they still went even though I was home.
I struggled in my relationship with God. After coming from a place where I felt like I had a purpose, I was now sitting in bed most of the day, not knowing what God had for me or why I was home. I spent most of my time reading or working on college and insurance papers. In the midst of my struggles, God revealed to me that my purpose was to intercede for my squad on the Race and invest in my family. I didn’t do the best job, I am sorry to say, but I had a purpose again.
I went to physical therapy and wound care. Physical therapy was one of my highlights since I want to be one, and it was neat to see what they do and to be on the receiving end of their care. I had a month to get better in order to return to the Race and my team in Guatemala. The time went by quickly, and a part of me started to wonder if I would make it or not.
However, after 2 weeks of physical therapy, 2 weeks less than expected, I graduated. My squad mentor gave me the ok to return to the Race!!! I was so excited!
My family and I the night before I flew to Guatemala.
Now I’m in Guatemala, and I’m loving it. God blessed me with an opportunity to work with kids and adults who have special needs, which is a dream of mine. Being with my team again is so good; hard, but good. On many levels, I still don’t understand what happened to me or why everything happened to me. However, I learned God is good. Always. I know without any doubt that He will never leave me or forsake me. Whether I am on the brink of death in Africa or reading a good book in my bed at home, my God is with me, and that’s all that really matters.
May the King of kings bless you!
~Ashlyn
Reunited with my team in Antigua, Guatemala!!
