actually spent the day at home alone…. Some might consider this “sad” (I know
my mom who tried to get work off did!). But it actually ended up being quite
amazing! There’s something amazing about being in a big house alone by
yourself… it’s not the same as being in a room by yourself. It ended up being
exactly what I needed and the perfect way to start off my time at home!
visiting friends and family, as well as more relaxing time at home, along with
simply enjoying the “normal” perks that America has to offer… turkey, carpet,
cooler weather, clean feet, a non-dusty/dirt-filled room, salads and other
healthy foods, target, walmart, and Costco, ridiculously hot/high-pressure
showers, driving inside lanes, with seatbelts, without ridiculous amounts of
traffic, frozen yogurt, unlimited communication with stateside friends,
speaking the same language, and hundreds of other silly things I take for granted back at home!
well! I spent several lunches, dinners, and in-betweens re-connecting with some
friends from college over starbucks, panera, chipolte, frozen yogurt, and more!
It was also a huge blessing to attend my home church. Olive
Branch has been my biggest supporter and it was so encouraging to witness the
support firsthand, as several people greeted me by name-who I had never met
before!
I was also able to spend some time connecting with an
organization which we at K.I.M have been working with the past few months,
called Christian International Adoptions. When I met Lorean (one of their field
workers) in Manila, I found out that they are based in Southern California,
only 30 minutes from where I live. So when I found out I was going to be
visiting home, I decided I would stop by and see Lorean as well, and see how
their organization operates on a day to day basis.
To be honest, I found myself quite intrigued with Lorean’s job
from the beginning, even before I went to see her in California. She works to
adopt overseas kids into homes in America, runs 3-week long camps where they bring
kids over to the states to experience America and hopefully be adopted by host
families, she travels overseas to meet, interview, and evaluate different
children who are ready for adoption, and she gets to work with the families who
are wanting to adopt, preparing and equipping them throughout the journey.
heart beating a little faster. So when I went to check it out in California, I
was just as captivated (if not more!). I went back a week later to meet
families who were going to be host parents for several kids coming from the
Philippines for three week camps-including four of our own kids from NFFCH! And
wouldn’t you know it, I was continually amazed by the whole thing, loving what
they were doing!
Throughout the rest of my time in California, I felt God
confirming to me that the field of social work is something in my future…. Even
before all of this He had been placing a desire in my heart to return to grad school
and get my masters. At the time I didn’t know what for, but I felt strongly
that God was guiding me that direction…. And a couple months later, the Lord is
beginning to connect the pieces!
Another cool God-thing: while at church one morning talking to
supporters and parents of another missionary, I was told about grants that
could help me get my masters…. This fellow church member is now actually doing
research and helping me find and apply for grants to pay for a huge chunk of
getting my M.S.W-Masters of Social Work! And to top it all off, while in the
states, I found out that one of my good friends is actually planning on getting
her masters degree in the same field, at the same time as me… prompting
conversations of us possibly attending school together, to be able to live
together and have the fellowship and community that I desire and know I need as
well!
anytime soon! I will definitely finish out my commitment through August of
2010, with a possibility (really no idea on this) of staying a bit longer,
since I wouldn’t be starting the program till Fall of 2011, which would give me
some time to get back adjusted to the states, and also work and save some money
before starting school.
this all upside down on me tomorrow? Unfortunately yes. (scary thing!) But for
now, I feel confident that God is guiding me towards returning to school and
getting my Masters in Social Work, an area that I never would have imagined had
I not come to the Philippines in the first place, met these people and seen
international adoption firsthand. It is so awesome how God uses our experiences
and our journeys to put us right where He wants us, all in His timing!
and seeing a glimpse into God’s plans for my future… these last few years I
have gotten used to last-minute directions from God. Please keep me in your
prayers as I desire to stay completely focused here while still being excited and
beginning to plan for the future….
