Being Home

Well, I have been home for a week and 5 days now. It hasn't been too difficult a transition for me. I remember coming back from Mexico when I was there for only a week a couple years ago was a very difficult transition...coming back from such extreme poverty and seeing how we live such wealthy lives while taking that for granted. I found though that after that trip I have tried to stop taking my blessings for granted! I thank God each day for my country, my family, and all that He has given me. We are truly blessed in North America.

So, in the Philippines, I have learned a lot of things that will stay with me forever! I have learned to listen more than I speak. I have learned to trust more in people and more in God. This was really necessary in the Philippines because our schedule changed almost daily. Sometimes we would go to bed at night and have no idea what we were doing the next day, but it would always fall into place! I think I have learned to love more, but it has been hard coming home because I think my younger siblings are sick of hearing about the Philippines all the time!! I learned that I am really good at adapting to new situations which I didn't think I was before. I don't really like change at home generally, but in the Philippines I really embraced it and learned to roll with it. :)

I met so many incredible people in the Philippines. My host family was a huge blessing to me. Their hospitality and kindness was amazing. They really showed me what Filipino life is like! They gave me many new experiences, especially pertaining to food! Los Banos Christian Reformed Church was also a huge blessing to me. Every Sunday and Wednesday night service (and every random day in between that I was hanging out at LBCRC), I felt so welcome and like I was a part of their congregation! The youth at LBCRC were so encouraging to me. I have never met a youth group who is so musically talented!! A different team of youth led worship each Sunday morning and Wednesday night, and it was always SO GOOD! They are so involved in the church...that was really encouraging to me. The Filipino people are so helpful and very, very hospitable. They loved answering any questions I had. Even Filipinos who weren't my specific hosts or even connected with the CRC would answer any question and were so hospitable to us!

As far as my expectations being met, I went to the Philippines trying not to have expectations because I really had no idea what to expect. I didn't know what it would look like or what the people would be like or anything, so I was just really keeping an open mind. Even day-to-day in the Philippines I had no idea what to expect because our schedule changed so much. At first, there was so much free time because we were being quarantined for the swine flu...and then at the end of the summer we were super busy, so it kind of balanced the summer out. But at first, it was difficult for me having so much free time when I just wanted to DO something! But I learned to let go and let God!

This experience increased my sensitivity to the needs of Christians in other countries. Prayer is such a great need all over the world, and (in general) we are not really people of prayer in North America. So that is something I need to work on!

This experience increased my compassion for the needs of those who live in third world countries. My heart really goes out to the poor in the Philippines who have no home or who lives in horrible conditions. Specifically the urban poor children...especially those who beg. And also, the orphans. In the future, I want to work with the urban poor and/or orphans.

This experience gave me new insights into mission work. I really loved seeing all the ministries in the Philippines...just seeing a vibrant CRC church there was really cool. I feel like if I had gone somewhere else, I would see mission work by CRWM that looks COMPLETELY different though.

Anyways, in conclusion of this blog, I had an amazing experience in the Philippines. It really confirmed my call into mission work. So now I just have to see where God is leading me and where He wants me to go!! I am really excited about the future! But for now, I have the enthusiasm and not the skills haha. So I'll just finish my schooling and see what happens from there!

I made so many amazing friends in the Philippines who I will never forget. You know who you are!!!! I miss them a lot actually. I find myself a lot of times during the day thinking about all of our good times and wishing to be back there. I know that I will see them again someday, though! I would definitely go back to the Philippines given the chance.

Thanks for reading my blog!!!!! This will be my last post on this blog, but probably not ever haha! :)