I think we would both say that our favorite thing of being home, besides seeing family of course :), is hot water! I don't think we have taken that for granted yet. We are clean! What a feeling. When we got to Lisa's house that first night, we made a beeline for the sink to wash our hands! Priorities I tell you! We love the fact that the bathroom is between our rooms, and we no longer have to wake the other up during the night if we need to use it. We no longer have to stand guard as the other showers! I guess in small ways, we have our independence back! LOL!
But don't get me wrong, Liberia and the Belle Forest are not forgotten. They are engraved in our hearts, and at times we talk about what our team is doing at that very moment. Waking up the first morning at home, my thoughts immediately went to what our team was doing and this allowed me the opportunity to pray. I know that Lisa does this as well. We miss those guys. We miss the kids. We miss Liberia.
Transitioning back home has been alright. Life goes back to normal whether you are ready for it or not. You have no choice but to get up, go to work, and do the things that make up our days here. I know for me, I still find it hard to process. I have been asked questions that I just don't know how to answer. I guess Liberia changed my life more than I even know now, so it will take time to go over all that we experienced to come to a point where I feel that I have processed. In some ways, I don't know why it hasn't happened yet. I mean in reality 7 weeks is nothing. People live out other cultures all the time for far greater amounts of time, but I guess I just need to let the processing take its course.
God did awesome things this summer, both in Liberian lives as well as in mine. He allowed us to be apart of seeing His kingdom grow! So many more names are written in His book now, and it is quite the privilege to have seen that change happen in lives. For me, He allowed me to grasp ahold of the truth that He won't give me more than I can handle. Even though, I have known this to be true for years, this summer was when that truth became a heart realization. He allowed so many things to happen that I desperately didn't want to experience, but each time something hard would happen I could see the progression. Things got a little easier each week, so as He allowed the tough things to happen, I could actually see how, if it had been any other time, I would have wanted to throw in the towel. I knew and believed His hand was holding me every step of the way. He never allowed me to be broken, although there were times when I would think certain instances should have broken me. He had me in His hands that whole time! He is a great God!
I thank you again for your prayers. We most definitely felt them and appreciated them so much. Please continue to pray as we still take time to transition back. And please keep all the kids in your prayers. They need it desperately. The team has two more weeks of follow up, so please keep them in your prayers too. Hopefully we will hear from them at the end of their time, so we can give you an update of how the follow up went in the last 3 villages.
God is good, and He is doing good things in Liberia. Although it feels so far away at times, Liberia is still very much on our hearts. And even though, it is the little comforts of life that get us excited these days, we don't regret giving any of them up at all. When it comes down to it, we know those things don't matter. The souls of the kids are what counts, so maybe now as I feel the hot water or flush the toilet, I will be reminded to pray for Liberia.
We will carry all that we witnessed and experienced with us for quite some time if not for the rest of our lives. Liberia has changed me, and I pray that change will have positive affects on those I come in contact with here. I pray that change will grow my relationship with God. I pray that change will revolutionize my prayer life! I pray that change will have an impact on eternity.
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