I’m alone, sitting on my cushy couch, in my decorated living
room, staring out at the Pacific Ocean. Materially my life couldn’t be further from
where I was a year ago. I daily ask how
I can live with all this and at the same time do justice to what I experienced
around the world. A year ago today I was
in Peru,
living with 20 people in about 1,000 square feet, crammed in like sardines. Now my sister and I share a place that’s much
more spacious and it’s only the two of us.
(Molly, my sister, and me)
My first couple months after returning to America were rough, to put it
gently. I still often feel the remnants of
post World Race grief. Sometimes an
intense longing to be back overseas washes over me. The desire is a deep ache that travels
through my body, from a twinge in my stomach, to tightness in my throat, to
tears in my eyes.
What I’ve realized lately is that it doesn’t matter where I
live or how much I have. What matters is
how I use it. I’m relating to what Paul
wrote in Philippians 3:11b-14, “…I have learned how to be content with whatever
I have. I know how to live on almost
nothing or with everything. I have
learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full
stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
It’s been a challenge learning to be content with life here,
and trusting that God is using my life to make a difference, even when it
doesn’t feel that way. I’m learning to
celebrate what’s been given to me, and be thankful for the stage of life that
I’m in. Life is truly a gift.
The last two months have flown by in a frenzy of moving,
starting two jobs and learning how to balance life in the United States. I work at North Coast Calvary Chapel doing
administrative work for their junior high group. I’m thankful to work with great people!
I also work for the Wildfire Recovery Program doing trauma
counseling and community outreach work for people who have lost their homes in
the fires. While working with the Nsoko
project in Swaziland
I realized how much I love community development work. 
It’s so amazing to be able to do that same type of work here, and actually get
paid for it =). I’m in the process of starting
a Wildfire Teen Council, which is volunteer program for youth who have a desire
to help with community rebuilding. It’s
pretty amazing to be involved with something that combines two of my favorite
things youth and missions.
As always, your comments are greatly appreciated, I would
love to hear where life has brought you!
