Dear Mom and Dad,
The last time I saw you in person was exactly 165 days ago.
We said goodbye in a hotel in Atlanta, GA at World Race Launch.
I want you to know that I’m not the same person who left the United States six months ago.
That girl wouldn’t want you to know this, but she wasn’t sure what she was doing when she signed up for a christian gap year, yet it was the best decision she ever made.
That girl didn’t know that God would wreck her life for the better.
She didn’t know that she could be away from home for six months and not be homesick.
She didn’t realize that she was being launched into a missional lifestyle and not just going on a super long mission trip.
She just thought it was a good idea because she didn’t know what she wanted to go to college for.
She thought if anything it would be a good opportunity for her to travel.
She didn’t know that she would gain 23 people that are now family to her.
She didn’t realize that not only would she fall in love with Jesus in a whole new way, but she would fall in love with different cultures, different people, and doing things that make her uncomfortable.
That girl now has a hunger for Jesus that you’ve never seen in her.
Also, you probably won’t believe this, but she loves being on planes because it gives her an easy opportunity to talk to the person sitting beside her and she loves flying because it takes her to places where she can experience new things.
God has done so much in my life during these months.
I walk in truth now.
I’ve become a lot more bold and confident in speaking to people I don’t know.
I spend more time in my bible than I do on my phone.
I can’t wait to be able to sit down face-to-face and tell you about stories and experiences from Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Guatemala.
I wanna tell you about the countries, the people, the food, everything.
I can’t wait for you to see what I’ve been doing for the last six months.
I’m so excited for you to do ministry with me and meet the people I’ve built relationships with here in Guatemala the last three months.
I can’t wait to show you just a tiny part of this beautiful country I love.
This is going to be an amazing few days and just a heads up you’re probably going to be uncomfortable at one point or another.
I hope while you’re here you see why I haven’t been homesick or why I don’t text you everyday.
There is so much to see and do and you don’t need your phone for it.
I hope that you being here you see why I’m so thankful you said yes to allowing me to go on this trip. Thank you for showing me support when you were probably scared and concerned with the decision I made in going on this trip.
Thank you for letting me experience the world at 19 years old.
I hope you see that this gap year is exactly what God wanted me to do this year.
In exactly 3 days you are flying to see me in Guatemala and I get to see you in person for the first time in 168 days.
It has been 4,032 hours since I’ve been able to give you both a hug.
You know I’m not the biggest fan of hugs, but I can’t wait to give you one when you get here.
I love you.
I can’t wait to see you.
T-minus 72 hours
Love, Sumer
