Yes, I finally made it back to the very place where this crazy adventure started. In the exact same spot where I so tearfully said goodbye on September 25, 2008 I found two wonderful people waiting to give me the warmest welcome I could have ever imagined – complete with balloons. On September 10, 2009 I landed at my final destination (for now), Denver. My parents picked me up and took me home. A place where they have encouraged, loved and supported me over the past couple of weeks. It has been really amazing and more than I could have ever asked for. So, thank you!
One of the questions I have been asked several times is, “Are you finding it difficult to adjust back to live in America?” A bit sheepishly and very honestly my response has been, “No.” I know that seems like an odd answer, even to me. I attribute my answer to one large cause – over the course of this last year we had to adapt to each culture so quickly that it never fully registered in my head. Sure I have had a few “freak out” moments since being back, but I am able to count those moments on one hand. There are things I definitely miss about the cultures around the world – I miss the public transportation, I miss having roommates, I miss bargaining for everything! Quickly reality hits me in the face and I get into my own car usually by myself and head off to the store to pay the listed tag price. Why? Because that is the culture I am in now. There is no sense complaining about missing certain things when that just isn’t the way this part of the world works.
A year ago I felt like I knew where I fit in the spectrum of life. I knew where my little cave of safety and where my little comfort places were, but now my spectrum has exploded. It is now a world wide spectrum and honestly I don’t know where I fit in all of it. On Sunday my sweet friend came and picked me up for church as it was much too icy for me to drive. There was a surprise guest at church that day, Brother Yun. The book The Heavenly Man was written about Brother Yun, a modern day Paul. He is an active leader and member of the underground church in China. He has been imprisoned countless times and has experienced more prosecution than many of us could ever imagine. He spoke briefly and then prayed over the congregation; he prayed for the spirit of David to fall over us and over America. At that moment a light bulb went off in my head … I thought, “I can do that.” The heart of David was worship. I could do that, I could worship – that is what I did in all the other countries and that is what I can do here. While I still don’t know where I lie in the spectrum, I do know that I can worship no matter where I am.
Yesterday, I met this girl named Megan. We first met because she complimented me on my shoes. I was wearing a pair of shoes that I picked up in India – they are gold flats with tons of jewels and sparklies all over them. Megan was sitting on a bench outside of a store on her lunch break. She not only complimented me on my shoes, but was fascinated by them. So I sat down and we began talking. I told her of my last year and she told me a bit of her story too. This is the essence of who we are. We were created for relationship. And that is what Megan was seeking – she was a girl sitting on a bench desperately wanting relationship with someone. And so for now, I don’t know what the future holds or what my purpose is in this huge spectrum, but I do know that I was created to have a heart of worship and I do know that there are a lot of people all over the world just sitting on a bench waiting, hoping for someone to talk with.
A HUGE thank you to each person that has encouraged and supported me over this past year. I will never take you for granted as you are precious and near to my heart!
