How Six Months Changed My Life,

Wow. I can’t believe it’s almost over. We have one week left until our last ministry day and two weeks left until I hit US soil. I’m currently sitting in a hammock reminiscing on the race, all the memories and lessons it has taught me.

I left for the race knowing the Lord was going to teach me things and I would step off the field changed. But the Lord exceeded my expectations once again, I never thought 6 months could change my life so much.

perspective (seeing it & living it)

I’ve done lots of volunteer and mission work in the states, nothing this extravagant but I’ve gotten my hands wet before going on this trip. The difference between that and here is that here, I’m living it. I’m living in the houses of locals, I’m working the jobs they’ve had their whole life, I’m playing soccer and sharing my food with kids that haven’t eaten in who knows how long, I’m loving on widows who have lost all hope, I’m painting the house of a single mother living in poverty to make it look more presentable and keep men away, and I’m walking into “houses” that contain sheets as walls and getting to show them a Lord who loves them, sees them, and deserves all of our praise because of the sacrifice he has made for us. 

There is something about living with the people and living in the situations that you are getting to evangelize in and work it which makes such a difference. It takes humility and uncomfertability to do it, but you learn perspective and that is something that will forever change the way I see things.

love

This is a huge one I thought I had a clear understanding of before coming on the field; to an extent I would say I did know, however I didn’t live like I did. I didn’t live in a way that that let the Lord love me always, no matter what. I lived letting the Lord love me when I thought I deserved it without noticing most of the time, after I just had a good conversation getting to pour into someone, after I just spent a lot of time in prayer or in the word. Before, I wouldn’t sit and let him love me freely. After all we don’t deserve it, but he loves us enough to give it to us so freely. 

That realization has changed the way I love others, and the way I am able to tell others about our amazing Father. Loving others with not my love but his. Living in his love freely.

His love, perfect love. 

JESUS – the real raw, not sugar coated, not covered up, the vulnerable message, the cost of discipleship 

Something so important. Something, thank the Lord, my family & my church did a great job of implementing into me. It is also something that I came to a greater understanding and realization living on the field for six months. 

I’ll never forget the conversation my uncle had with me before leaving for the trip, “Don’t leave out the cost of the gospel, make sure people know what it means to be a follower of the Lord”.

Are we living our lives fully for the Lord? What are we willing to sacrifice? Is he worth your life to you? Are you all in?

These questions might seem heavy and hard, but so worth sitting with. Because once you do, and realize what the gospel means to you, it will change your life.

These last 6 months, I will never regret. I won’t regret missing a semester of college or traveling the country during a pandemic. In fact, I would recommend it! I’m so sad to leave these people, it’s going to be so hard, but Im also so excited to go home and implement all the things the Lord has taught me and be able to love and serve his people better.