May 13th.
3 weeks.
21 days.
21 days... and then what?
Come home and fall into old routines?
Will people see I've changed?
Will I be able to hear God while going back to a busy life?
Did I put enough effort into my relationships back home while being down here?
How am I going to support myself/pay for school without a job?
Did I make an impact here?
Have I fulfilled God's purpose for me here?
Was I receptive to everything God was trying to teach me?
I will never see home the same, how will I cope with that?
...the questions go on and on.
I have not written a blog post in about two months, I am sorry for the delay. Since I have had my flight back booked (May 13th by the way) I have been soaking up every moment I can. Although the excitement about coming home sometimes becomes overwhelming, it is going to be hard to leave.
This place and these people have become my home. My family.
There was recently an article circulating about missionaries and how "coming home" actually feels for them. The author articulated my fears and trepidation about coming home perfectly. Even though I am coming back to a place and people I have known all my life, everything has changed. I have changed and grown, the people back home have continued living their lives, and the people back home (as much as they would like to) can never understand or share in the experiences that I have had here.
Eight months is a long time.The better part of a year. Oh, the things I have seen and done.
In eight months of living in the Dominican Republic I have: jumped off waterfalls, rode a horse on the beach, made friends with sea life (just kidding they don't like me), hiked the tallest peak in the Caribbean in 3 days, jumped off a mountain (paragliding), been given the opportunity to backpack across Israel and Jordan, seen God work in the lives of troubled teens, been seen as a mentor by some of the girls (never thought that would happen), deepened my relationship with Christ, and learned (a little better) how to trust God and His perfect planning.
How do I prepare to come home?
Honestly, I don't know. Because how can someone prepare for counterculture-shock? To go from Dominican culture to American culture to Middle Eastern culture and then back again to American?
Talk about confusing.
I am going to take it in baby steps. Focus on keeping the good habits I have built here and creating new ones to accommodate coming home. Most of my energy will be focused on training for Israel (and then a sprint triathlon after that).
I know that the transition process will take time, so I want to thank everyone for the support they have shown me throughout my time being here. I have been really overwhelmed by the support shown to me and for all the prayers and the little notes or messages that I have gotten. They have meant more than I can express.
So thank you.
I cannot wait to thank everyone in person in 3 weeks.
21 days.
Here is the article I mentioned above: http://www.dahlfred.com/index.php/blogs/gleanings-from-the-field/747-why-missionaries-can-never-go-home-again
