A Compilation of My Adventures...

Enjoy! :)

Things I Miss the Most... or not.

I've been back in the States for about 3 and 1/2 weeks now, and I've had lots of time to reflect on my adventures, my own thoughts, feelings, and overall experience. One thing that surprised me a bit when I returned home was this feeling of "reverse culture shock". I was sad to leave Mombasa, but that was overshadowed by my being THRILLED to be coming back home to friends and family (See Roller Coaster). And it has been absolutely wonderful being back home... However, now that I'm here, and that feeling is slowly fading away, I am beginning to feel "home sick" in a whole new sense. I didn't just go on a vacation, stay in hotel, meet people, and play with children. I lived with a family for 6 weeks, volunteered daily with other professionals, worked with precious children week after week, and fell in love with each of them. 

So, now, there is a longing in my heart to be back there. At times, I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to go to Kenya. Other times, I feel SO heart-broken and grieve for some of the families and children I met there. It breaks my heart to know and have seen that suffering and now I'm doing nothing about it... I wonder why God decided to bless me with the life I have in Houston, the friends I have, or the family I was born into. BUT, I do know that our God is not the author of heartache, nor does he want me to sit here and sulk in misery or be sad all the time. But, instead, be SO thankful for what He has blessed me with, praise Him for it, and try to do something to help by depending on His Goodness!

So, in my reflection, I decided I would make a list of the things I miss the most about Africa and the things I don't miss quite as much. Here goes...

Things I DON'T miss: 

• MOSQUITOES & mosquito nets: These guys are everywhere! I became a pro at being able to kill them, and that's not something I'm particularly proud of. As far as the net goes, I was thrilled the first night I slept in my bed at home to NOT have to pull a mosquito net out of the way to get up in the morning. Glorious. 
• The "Nail Salon" Feeling: You know, that feeling you get at the nail place when they are speaking a different language and then look at you and laugh?... happened to me everyday in Kenya. Luckily I eventually got up the guts to ask them "What are you saying?!" :)

Things I DO miss...

• My Host family: The most hospitable, loving, kindest people I've ever met. I am so thankful for them and miss them everyday. My trip would've been drastically different without them. Hands down. 

• Having the cutest kiddos love on my every single day!: Nothing better than having a ton of cute African kids hug on you or just touch you because they somehow think you're the best thing since sliced bread. :)

• My constant dependence on God in prayer: Over there, I was constantly depending on God for everything & talking to Him all the time. Whether it was for my safety, my health, because of my frustration, or praying for the suffering and poverty I was seeing, or just because I was homesick... I HAD to depend on Him for everything. But, HERE, we are so incredibly blessed with everything we have. And we don't even know it. So much access (and excess) and convenience. I hate to admit it, but sometimes I feel like I only talk to God when I need Him or for "emergencies", which is not all time. I feel so much closer to Him when I'm not in my comfort zone.     

**There are other things I might say I don't miss, but they're not all necessarily unique to Africa. Like fear. I had plenty of things to be afraid of while I was gone--sickness, terrorism... But, I've come to realize there are plenty of things for me to be afraid of here as well. I read this from Kisses From Katie before my trip. It's what I felt while I was gone, and I wholeheartedly agree with her now... 

"People often ask if I think my life is dangerous, if I am afraid. I am much more afraid of remaining comfortable. Matthew 10:28 tells us not to fear things that can destroy the body but things that can destroy the soul. I am surrounded by things that destroy the body. I interact almost daily with people who have deadly diseases, and many times I am the only person who can help them. I am in a country with one of the world's longest-running wars taking place just a few hours away. Uncertainty is everywhere. But I am living in the midst of the uncertainty and risk, amid things that can and do bring physical destruction, because I am running from things that can destroy my soul: complacency, comfort, and ignorance. I am more much terrified of living a comfortable life in a self-serving society and failing to follow Jesus than I am of any illness or tragedy... Jesus called His followers to be a lot of things, but I have yet to find where He warned us to be safe. We are not called to be safe, we are simply promised that when we are in danger, God is right there with us. And there is no better place to be than in His hands."

Finally, I hope that one day God will provide a time and a way for me to get back to Kenya. I have no idea when that will be, but He does. So, for now, I am enjoying my time at home with family and friends, living it up, and learning to trust Him for everything--not just the "big" things. Who's with me? 

Kwajeri... "Goodbye!" :)