Back to Canada

I never thought I could love someone so much just after 3 1/2 months. Leaving that airport on Monday night was one of the toughest things I have ever done. Sitting in seats talking through our tears and knowing what was coming next. When it came time to say our good-byes, it was more then I could handle. We hugged our last hugs with everyone, crying and each hug lasting a good minute or longer, I felt my heart tearing more and more. We pulled ourselves away from them after saying 'I love you so much' and walked through the gates. I made the mistake of turning around one more time and looking at everyone standing there. I lost it again and cried harder then I have ever cried in my life. Going through security was a pretty funny sight. They gave us weird looks and allowed us to get away with over weight luggage because of the way we looked! But at that point, we didnt care, we just wanted to walk back to those people we loved so very much. Those people I walked away from in Lima Peru... I will never forget and I love them with my whole heart.

My time here on TREK is decreasing very fast. I only have 10 days with the people I have lived with for the past 6 months. When you go on a mission trip like this and have a year of experiences and memories shoved into 3 1/2 months... what are you supposed to do with all the information? I remember telling some people at home that those last 10 days of TREK in Canada are going to be the worst ever. I feared that they would drag and that it would be 10 times worst since going home is in reaching distance. But was I wrong!! Day 3 already and I'm starting to see that these last days have so much to hold and so many memories to make. I dont think these 10 days are going to be enough.

This morning Luke gave a session on re-entering our home towns. He gave one quote that stuck out...

"...Therefore, where you were may not be as it was because of who you are now..."

I have thought about this and I this hits home so hard. I have changed so much I feel like. But my friends at home... they haven't. They have been going on with life in Cannelburg Indiana while I have been here facing things that will stay in my memories for life. Who I am now... no one will know when I get home. I have changed for the good I feel... I just want to stay this way. I just fear that when I get home, I will remain on a 'high' for awhile, but soon, that will changed into the same routine as summer camps and youth mission trips. You are bound to stumble and fall back. But why?

Coming back to North America has overwhelmed me. There are so many white people, people staying in 2 lanes on the roads, people have the right-away on sidewalks, we can flush toiletpaper and not have to put it in the wastebasket, the tap water is good to drink, and everyone around me understand when i speak English. Being shoved back into this... tougher then I ever thought.

Seeing all of the girls that went to Japan, amazing. It's like I never left them, but then it seems like I have been gone for millions of years. We have already spent a lot of one-on-one and just hanging out. So many stories to trade and so much to tell about personal growth and life. I just hate the thought of leaving these people in 9 days!

All I can do is trust God and ask for your prayers as I finish this amazing trip. God has given me so much grace this whole time, I can only trust that he will continue until I get home and settle back into the life I once knew. The life and people who have been so faithful in supporting me! Thank you!