As we rapidly approach the last leg of this incredible/growing/difficult/exciting journey, I can’t help but ask myself the question that I’m sure I’ll be asked when I get home; “what have I learned on this trip?”. While there is still 2 more months left of this journey, I have learned so much about love, relationships, grace, and most importantly I have found the person I was before I fell victim to drug addiction. I have been clean from drugs for a few years, and was content with life before this trip with who I was and what I was doing. This trip, however, has blown that idea straight out of the water. Through families in villages, ministry hosts we have had, and people on my squad I have truly found the joy and freedom I had before I fell to addiction. Christ has brought so much freedom on this trip to not only my heart, but also my mind and how I perceive things. One of the first lessons I can remember learning on this trip was the very first week when we hiked through the Himalayan mountains to visit villages, some of which have never seen white people before. The first day of the hike was long, tiring, exciting, and beautiful. Full of views that no camera could capture the sheer beauty that was there. When we got to the first village, we were all exhausted to say the least, and wanted nothing more than to lay down. The kids of the village had different plans for us though. They lured us all out with their suspicion and laughter. They took us up one more little hill and it led to one of the most incredible views I’ve ever seen. We played with the kids until dark and then had a traditional meal, which was…interesting. The next day at the church service, the people of the village presented us all with hand made bags and a leis of beautiful flowers, all while they clapped for each of us. After I wiped away a few tears that welled up from the realization of where I was and what was going on, I started to feel a little frustrated. I thought, “why are they treating us like this when all we did was play with their kids and give a message at church?”. At the end of the week and the hike, one of our guides had told us how happy and encouraged all the villages were just from us being there, because very rarely do people come to just see them and talk to them, especially Americans who are not accustomed to hiking the Himalayan mountains. Also when I had expressed my frustration about that first day, one of my teammates said that that gave them an opportunity to give and be Jesus to us. As Christians we are all called to be Christ to our brothers, and allowing them to present those gifts to us was also letting them be Christ to us. So just from the first week alone , I had gotten a lesson in humility, the magnitude of the body of Christ, and Christ-like love. The biggest thing I have gotten from this trip is finding who I am. Through friends making me laugh so much it hurts, calling me higher when I’m being thick headed, and countless other things that I’ve found in solid relationships. My biggest teachers have been children though. Child-like faith never ceases to amaze me. Every country we go to we end up having some interaction with kids. We are strangers who they’ve never seen ore who even speak their language. Without fail though, within the first hour of being there, kids are hugging us, climbing on is, hugging us, and just flat out trusting us. It has made me not only realize that I want to work with kids the rest of my life, but to have that same trust in God, knowing that I might be scared at first, but if I just run to his arms he will not drop me or reject me. He will love me, protect me, and teach me. There are so many more stories, that will just have to be talked about outside of a blog. I don’t want people to have to read a novel just to see how my trip is going. But just know that I am so grateful for all of those who have supported me on this journey. You have helped me find me and have allowed me to be a light in so many dark areas. Thanks again and God bless!
