So, I’m coming home! Sorta… don’t worry I’m still on The World Race and I’m still going to Guatemala. We are actually in the airport right now leaving India traveling on our way—half of us have a longgg layover in New York and the other half, my half, have a long layover in Chicago. I will be in the States for just less than a day. It will be weird but I’m truly praying it is a time of rest and buying new underwear, please.
Today I had one of the hardest goodbyes of my life. My entire life. Even writing this I’m choking up and I thought I already pulled it together. Oh, how sweet the promise of eternity together in heaven is! Joseph, Bryan, Fima, I will always pray we reunite.
My heart genuinely felt incredibly shattered as we drove away from a place my heart called home for two months. Fima’s home became my home. His family invited us over every single night for over the past week, always serving us tea or bora or coke. On Tuesday they invited the four of us close with them (me, Peyton, Anna, and Tiara) over for dinner. They never stopped giving and giving. Fima and his family have taught me what true generosity and hospitality means and I pray I can become more like that—loving people without expectations, opening my home up to anyone just because Jesus would do that.
A simple thing of going to volleyball everyday after ministry for an hour has turned into making lifelong friendships.
I will never forget when our plane landed in Northeast India, I stepped off and immediately thought “home.” (I’m sitting on an airplane between strangers with tears rolling down my cheeks—just keeping it real with you all). Being in the little village of Seilmat truly has been one of the most beautiful gifts of my life. The people have loved me more than I could ever ask. I’m leaving having bought no souvenirs (sorry family and friends) but with many beautiful gifts—a tribal necklace and different Indian spices from Kim, a tribal bracelet that is “the highest honor” from Fima, and a beautiful printed photo of the volleyball net with a quote from Fima, Joseph, and Bryan.
Who knew the friendship of three seventeen year old boys could wreck your heart so badly? And the friendship of Fima’s whole family especially Jasper who was so sweet and servant hearted and always let me cuddle with her. And Kim who loved Tiara and I every week with tea and talking and allll the grapefruit. And every liaison. Every volleyball teammate. Every friend I made along the way—you have all made this goodbye feel almost unbearable and I am so thankful. Jesus has gifted me with a new home that will be in my heart forever. I genuinely can not explain to all my supporters and friends and family reading this how much these people mean to me and the things they did to pursue and love me. I feel so undeserving of the things that were done for me. We have a God that loves to bless us SO MUCH. The four of us have cried a lot of tears in the past twenty four hours and although it hurts I would have it no other way. I have been shown the love of Jesus by these people and I’m not even talking about anyone I met at our ministry sites. These were locals, neighbors of ours that are now family for eternity.
I’m leaving home to go to another…
Thank you, Jesus for blessing me with the most beautiful souls!
