Africa in a nutshell with much more to come

On my two days of traveling back to America I had a LOT of time to think. Sometimes my thinking turned to tears, sometimes to laughter, and most often to confusion. The one thing I thought about the most is, "what will I tell people when they ask me "How was Africa?""

I knew this question would come a lot, and I wasn't and still do not know adequate words to answer this question.... at least not without talking for 5 hours (that's how long it took to tell my parents only a portion of it). So this blog is to somehow summarize for you my trip. I will be blogging my journal entries from my time there, one a day. I would love for you to read along and try to live my African life with me! .....

Most people thought I would come back from Africa, ready to move there. Many people even pleaded with me to come back, as they thought I would want to stay there forever once there. More people than not of those closest to me assume I will live in another country one day, and most likely one day soon.

I hope I don't disappoint you, but I didn't come back to share the words, "I want to move to Africa." I did however come back with thoughts that may be even better than that. God hasn't laid it on my heart to move to Africa, nor any other country. My trip was though a HUGE wake up call to what God may possibly call me to one day including all its struggles, uncomfortableness, and fears. With the realization of a possible call to discomfort in my future, I can tell you with all honestly that I am willing to go, and would even love to.

God may not call me to missions in Africa, or even out of North Carolina, but He HAS called me to be a missionary, along with you (be scared). We each are called to that... and I pray I am carrying that job out in my daily life...I don't have to go to Africa to do that.

All this said, I do now have a great love for Liberia, and I definitely left a piece of my heart there. I WILL one day go back, and hope it happens in the very near future. The friends I met there are dear to my heart, and I miss them more than words can say.

People said I would be in culture shock when I got there, but that's not really the case. I was in culture shock when I got back to America. Living the life of a Liberian for two weeks has made be very aware of how blessed I am, materialistically. Living this life in America truly makes me sick when thinking of the abundance I have when so many people have nothing. I don't think that as Americans we should live in guilt because it, but we should not be apathetic. We need to realize the needs of others and pray for ability to help fix them.

Spiritually, I am both strengthened and struggling. I have had two weeks to focus on my Sovereign Lord without any distraction (no tv, radio, computer.... electricity). I also am torn. I torn with the idea of the many needs of those who are so far from me, and torn in what my place is in helping... i want to fix it. I want to take away the poverty. I want to provide clean driving water. I want to pay for children to go to school.  I am also struggling with the MANYYY convictions laid on my heart and am praying for strength to change my heart where change is needed.

For the next two weeks I will share will you my experience. My trips(plural) to the police station, the riots, the heat, and the many great opportunities I had. Here are some highlights:

• Interesting food
• Operation Christmas Child
• Causing Car wrecks
• School parties and celebrations
• lots of children
• painting and fixing
• friends
• laughter and tears
• the strangeness in being white
• ......the list goes on............