Hello everyone!
This past month has gone by so fast. I can’t believe that this Thursday, August 27th, we will be on our way to our third country-Cambodia! I am excited about the new adventure but also sad that our time in Nepal is about ready to come to an end.
Nepal has definitely captured a piece of my heart. As soon as we got off the plane when we first landed, I felt like God was telling me, “Meraia, you’re going to love this country and have a wonderful month.”
Well, like always, He was right.
From the ministry we were apart of, to the people, to the gorgeous view, and to just everything-besides lice and the virus going through the squad-is just amazing.
There have been little pieces of Nepal that made me feel like I was at home. Being surrounded by mountains reminded me of the little town I grew up in when I was little. This town was also in a valley like Nepal, and even though the mountains aren’t nearly as big as the ones that surround Nepal, they were still there.
There’s a restaurant near where we are staying that has pumpkin pie and a little bakery that has pumpkin bread that reminds me of the fall back home.
There’s a coffee shop that the whole squad goes to that reminds me of a coffee shop called The Daily Grind back home.
The pastor that my team and I were helping rebuild his church reminded me of my pastor back home.
So many little reminders of home scattered here in Nepal.
That can be comforting and saddening at the same time. The pumpkin bread that reminds me of fall also reminds me that I won’t be home to be with my mom for her birthday, for my best friend’s birthday and for Thanksgiving.
The mountains that surround Nepal that reminds me of the little town I grew up in reminds me of my nan, mamaw, my grandparents and how much I miss them.
The coffee shop that reminds me of The Daily Grind makes me miss Parkersburg.
The pastor here in Nepal that reminds me of my pastor back home makes me miss my pastor and church so much.
Leaving here makes me feel homesick all over again.
I really miss my friends and family. But, as my devotional reminded me this morning, I need to release them totally into the hands of God. It would be selfish to hold on to them so tightly and focus on returning to them and not being present with all of the awesome people I’m surrounded with while on the race.
God is doing awesome things with everyone back home and He is teaching them amazing things and loving them way more than I ever could. And even if my heart yearns to be back with them, especially when dealing with lice, exhaustion or just longing for a hug from them, I know I’m right where I’m supposed to be and they are right where they are supposed to be.
I felt like God was leading me to talk about my homesickness in this blog, as maybe a reminder to future racers. You guys will battle homesickness. You will have to battle to be present with your team and squad mates. You’ll have to choose to live in the moment in the country you are in. You will have to trust God with your friends and family members and KNOW He loves them more than you ever could. And, it will be worth it all.
Next week I will probably recap on Nepal more and what I have learned while being here. Please be praying that my whole squad gets healthy before we travel to Cambodia this week and that we get there safely.
Thank you for all the prayers and support!
Love,
Meraia
