Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Final post on china trip

Life is crazy. It is really that simple. I have been meaning to post again since I got home, which was about two weeks ago and here I am now finally doing it. The trip home was long, but we made it. I hibernated for the next few days as I tried to get back into a schedule and in the right time zone. On the 5th I started my practicum at Le Bonheur. I am majoring in Child Life and so, I have to have an internship in a children's hospital and the only way to get an internship is to have a practicum as well and volunteer hours. So, I started my practicum. It is tiring but it also is so encouraging because I love it and I can see myself doing it, no doubt, for the rest of my life. I have doubted many times if this is what I should do. I know I want to work with kids, but there are so many avenues to do that. But, through this practicum, I know that this is what I want to do. Due to the fact that I jumped right back in to life here and was super super busy, I don't think I ever let myself miss China. It finally hit me after I had been back for about a week and I had a quiet moment, that I ache for those kids. I miss them so terribly much! I miss Josiah and his precious grin and Robert making silly faces. I miss Moses trying to communicate with me and playing with my watch. I miss holding Liam and Leah. Singing to them and telling them how much Jesus loves them! I miss Kennedy and his sweet voice and the way he said my name. I miss Eric and his sweet pure heart. I miss Henry jumping all over me. I miss Cody singing with all of his heart. I miss Ting Ting and all of her sassyness. I miss JJ and the friendship we made. I miss Elizabeth with her precious smile and huge heart. I miss Seth. I miss him singing and walking around by himself in his own little world. I miss helping him in English class and making him laugh. I miss Ling Ling. I miss her telling me that I am pretty and asking if I will give her my shorts when I leave for America. I miss Joseph and his sense of humor. I miss Phillip who helped out so much and who truly loved everyone around him. I miss Melanie, who suddenly died a few weeks ago and is dancing with Jesus now. I miss luke and his precious smile. I miss Mikey and his need to be loved and cuddled. I miss my kiddos so much it hurts. I have let myself be busy and I have tried to not think about it. But, whenever I get a chance to stop moving, like this week when I am at the beach with my family, I hurt. I miss Sara, Marissa, Emily, Melissa, Mari, Shelby, Aaron. Everyone that I worked with. I had to deactivate my facebook for Rush purposes and I feel so disconnected from everyone over there. I cannot wait to be able to communicate with all of them again. Going to China was one of the best decisions I have made. It stretched me, challenged me, and gave me a heart even bigger then I had for taking care of orphans and living the great commission out in my life. I miss it. I hope one day I will get the opportunity to go back. For now, I ask that you be in prayer for the work that is being done there. For the precious hearts of the children, that they will come to know Christ and be adopted by God loving families. I ask that you pray for all of the workers there that if they do not know Christ they would see the differences in the lives of those that do and search it out. I ask that you pray for the interns. They will all be heading home at the end of July and beginning of August. Pray for safe travels for all of them and the work that they are continuing to do over there.

I have so greatly enjoyed the encouraging words from friends and family who read this blog during my journey. I enjoyed writing it and letting you in on a wonderful experience. I hope something that the holy spirit spoke through me stirred you and I hope you don't read about it and just go on with your lives. I hope the holy spirit works in you and you look at your life a little differently. You see the world around you as a place that you can make an impact in. A place where you can truly give yourself to others in love, sacrifice, and service. Love the people around you. Serve them. Realize that this world is so much bigger than your life. You are but a very small small part but a part that the Lord desires to use. He will use you. You just have to be willing to answer. Go and do something that is bigger than yourself. Go serve and go touch lives. Give yourself to something wholeheartedly and you will feel so much joy because that is what we were intended for. To love and serve others, not ourselves.

"You are not your own; you were bought at a price." 1 Corinthians 6:20

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22: 37-40

1 comment:

  1. You are a precious blessing to ALL who know you and your mom is one blessed mama!!! I love your heart and once SF is in your heart, it's there forever. Enjoy your vacay. Blessings and love!!!

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