Home and the Lessons Learned

So I am home. I flew in on the 9th. Man, what an emotional day that was. I was excited as all get out to get back home but then I again I realized how much those people back in Desamparados had come to mean to me. I am ready for the semester to start so that I can see my friends, classes get under way (in a sick way I am ready for classes), have more of a set routine, and start some new things in my life. But many of the people made an impact in my life that I will never forget. The conversation that I had with Fran who said he will not get baptized because he cannot make God a priority in his life, the time with Wagner who is 14 but is more mature than most teenagers, with Gabby who is baptized but her mom is not, with Jose who is an amazing man of God, with Guillermo who is consistent and faithful in all, with Ronald and his jokes, wisdom, and teachings, with Esteban and his desire to serve God and do good. All of that I will miss deeply. I did not realize how much I was taking for granted there and how much I was actually getting into.

I learned so much. I learned that I need to be a light in the world and be in a place so that my light is seen and defeats darkness. I learned that my life should be different from that of someone who is not a follower of Christ. I learned to deal with people gently and humbly. I learned a way of approaching Bible studies. I began learning about faith and prayer. I was encouraged and brought to learn that even as a stranger in a different land, I can help people. I learned the power of relationships, even if all in common is Christ.


Desamparados means the abandoned. I found that it was an interesting name for a city. It made me think, there must be many people who feel abandoned by God, abandoned by families, abandoned by friends, abandoned by hope. I met too many single moms or kids who's fathers had left them. They were abandoned. But one of the lessons that I heard preached several times while there was that God does not abandon us nor does he fail us.

I know I am anything but abandoned and that I am supposed to take what I have learned and apply it. As time goes on, I'm sure I'll realize other things that I learned. My prayer for being back home is that God will teach me more. That I will be able to really be active in my faith. That I will not be alone. And that these next few months I will burn furiously for Him.