I have been contemplating whether I should go head and post one final blog on the aftermath of my Uganda experience, or if I should let it be as it is. My grandfather had mentioned he was hoping I would have posted just one more because he felt like something was missing. So I prayed about it, and I felt Holy Spirit siding with my grandfather. For one last hoorah, here is (most likely) my final blog post.
I have officially been home for a week and one day. During my last few weeks in Africa, I spent time in Rwanda learning about the 1994 genocide, the reconciliation process and the beautiful vision for the country's future. That experience in itself deserves its own blog topic, but I'd rather keep that experience to myself and share as I'm asked or led. For my final days back in Uganda, I spent hours with my amazing peers and staff discussing re-entry back to the good ol' US of A. We were warned about reverse culture shock and had the opportunity reflect on the last four months of our lives, thinking deeply about the good moments, the bad moments and our spiritual journey. One question they warned us about on re-entering was the ever-so-famous,
"How was Africa?!" As a statement to all of you, that is an EXTREMELY loaded question and one I quite frankly do not have to answer to. I have no idea how Africa was or is. I have seen only a slight piece of the puzzle of Africa, but of course when I'm asked that famous question I don't respond with an, "I don't know" or "Are you nuts?! I have no idea how Africa is you dummy!" Instead I have landed on this response,
"Africa? I'm not sure, but have you ever ridden a roller coaster? My experience in Uganda was kind of like that. There were many ups and downs, twists and turns but I rode the ride with my hands up. I had the time of my life!" Indeed, I had the time of my life.
I just spent the last few minutes reading back through on all my previous blog posts, and I'm realizing that writing this one isn't so easy. It's one more end to my experience that I have to face. It's a harsh reality, yet I'm realizing it's also serving as another beginning to a new season and time in my life. So now what do I do?
I have to remind myself that the last four months of my life were real and I wasn't in some cave hibernating and dreaming of a foreign place. I walked the red dirt roads. I ate mass amounts of bananas. I became part of a new family. I went to school and had some ridiculously great, ridiculously bad and some straight up ridiculous experiences. In short I think I have to do three things.
First, I have asked the Holy Spirit to help me
store these last four months in a treasure chest and keep them locked up in my heart. I am the key holder and I know that at anytime, I will be able to open that chest and look upon the treasure inside. I will be able to take out some of those treasures and share them with others. I will be able to keep in the box what I feel needs to be kept in the box. Most importantly, I will be able to open the chest at any time and look back on those treasure pieces and thank my Father for the precious gifts He has given me. After all, "every good and perfect gift is from above," (James 1:17) and I am beyond blessed by all the good and perfect gifts inside my heart.
Second, I have to move on.
I have to move on, but I do not have to forget. As I said, I am the key holder to my treasure chest of blessings. I believe my time in Uganda was a time of commissioning. Remembering how I got to Uganda, I am reminded that God had called me there.
"For such a time as this." Of that, I am 100% confident. Even during the first half of my semester where I spent more time crying than I have in my entire life, I never doubted God's voice calling me to that place at that time. Words of gratitude cannot be expressed to all of you who sent prayers my way during that time. In part, they served as fuel to keep my pressing into the Lord's heart. There is not one moment I have of regret. For whatever reason, it was written in the books that I would study abroad in Uganda and I doubt not that God has a brilliant reason for doing so. I have been commissioned to fulfill the rest of my destiny in Him.
Uganda has become a part of me and I am ready to break through the walls of that experience, store the treasures in my chest and dance my way through the rest of life's journey.
Finally, I have to put to practice what I have learned. This has and probably will be my biggest challenge simply because I have learned
A LOT. I have learned about poverty and development, compassion, American identity, crossing cultures, community and smaller things such as how to chop vegetables correctly and hand wash my clothes. Apart from those things, I believe
the biggest lesson I have learned is a lesson that goes far deeper than the words of this post. I believe the biggest lesson I have learned is a
lesson in perception. I have learned that how you perceive yourself and how you perceive the circumstances you find yourself in is detrimental to the outcome of your life's journey and walk with Christ. It's the perspective of the Kingdom that gives you the best outlook. First, it's important to know you're a child of God and if He doesn't have you wrapped in in the comfort of His hands, He has a tight grip on your back so you don't fall. Second, Colossians 3:2 tells us to keep our eyes on things above, not things of the earth. In my experiences, bed bugs are of the world. I learned not to focus on those. Sickness is of this world. I learned not to focus on that. On the other hand, Jesus died on the cross and claimed victory for all the ages to come.
I have learned to put on the lens of victory and view my life from that perspective. I can't lose if victory has already been won, and my circumstances do not have to dictate my life. If I am choosing to be a child of God, I learned I better start acting like His daughter. Thankfully for me, that means I have a choice to choose joy and a choice to rejoice in ALL situations. So many days and moments throughout my time in Uganda have been shaped by that lens. It's a whole new way of life when you choose to side on God's victory. It's a life of unending joy and receptivity to God's freely given gifts.
Being home, I ironically get a feeling of homesickness quite often. I wake up some mornings and wonder what happened to my mosquito net or the roosters outside (despite the fact that I wanted to strangle those things most mornings!). During the day, I miss the craziness of my friends and the stillness of being present in Uganda. I find myself cringing inside when I hear complaints about the shower water not being hot enough or the grocery store being out of a certain kind of cereal. "If only they knew.." I think to myself. Overall, the opportunity to spend four months studying abroad in Uganda was a humbling experience and a gift of many treasures that I would love to share deeper with anyone wanting to listen.
So now what? Now I set my fears, worries and obstacles on the side of the road and walk the path of victory all while holding tight the key to my chest of goodness.
As a final "pull-it-all-together," my URL link is entitled pslam27thirteen. So...
Psalm 27:13, "I remain confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
I have but tasted and seen the slightest goodness of the Lord while in Uganda. I am so ready to share those riches with you (I am home all summer, so don't be afraid to contact me!) and beyond ready to taste and see the goodness in store for me. Like David, a man after God's heart, I too am yearning for more of Him. My confidence lies in Christ Jesus and I'll be darned if I don't see more of His crazy love in this world.
With my love and an abundance of thankfulness, I pray that God may bless you all in return for your prayers, thoughts, cards and packages that brought so many smiles and encouraging moments to me. To all my friends and family in Uganda this remains:
one faith, one hope, one love...forever in my heart.
Seven Second Version!
I'm back in 'Murica and I am beyond blessed by my experiences in Uganda. Wanna hear more? Get in touch with me!
Here's a quick run down of a very few of my favorite moments!