...It's Been A Long Time...
So, the last time I posted anything was right after the Wisconsin team...and yes after them came the amazing, wonderful, and yes over-all good looking Grandview/ Yakima Team. They were the last team for the summer, and it was nice to end the whole short-term missions marathon on a good note. One particularly memorable experience was that one young lady, who will remain anonymous (*cough* Vernice *cough*) felt the call of God to missions. Making opportunities for people to experience missions, especially when it leads to them hearing God's plan for their life, is one of the reasons I am here in Mexico.
The last week of July, some of the other Engage Students and I went to the Missions Convention in Puerto Villarta. I thought it was a pretty sweet deal to watch little monsters...um...I mean 2-5 year olds for five hours a day and have food and lodging covered.
I left for home right after my week in Puerto Villarta. I was so excited to see my family and friends again. The trip back was... to put it mildly, traumatic. Through a series of unfortunate events, I returned home never wanting to step outside my door again. My time at home was very relaxing, and it was so good to be immersed in familiarity.
To be completely honest, I dreaded coming back to Mexico. The day I left, I found out that my online classes already began, and I was over a week behind. I hadn't heard anything because of an error on my University's part. I was beyond frustration. I told my mom on our way to the Pasco airport that if the plane was even delayed for five minutes I was not getting on. (A delayed flight was how my traumatic experience all started the month before.) Obviously, God wanted me to go because I had absolutely no problems at any of the airports.
My fear of returning wasn't only based on the fact that I would have to travel or my school situation. It was much deeper than that. For the past several months, I have felt that I have been completely ineffective during my time in Mexico. I haven't come close to mastering the language, I haven't prayed with anyone to accept Salvation, I felt like I was the only one on the team who didn't have something to offer and wasn't completely in love with every aspect of the mission's experience. I was discouraged, and felt that I was alone. As I was preparing to come back to Mexico, I poured out my heart to God. I told Him that I couldn't do another three months like the past three and begged Him for things to be different.
Needless to say, even though I had prayed for things to be different, I was completely overwhelmed with how everything had been turned upside down. I still felt that I was ineffective as well. God totally blew my mind with what happened next...before I explain, let me give a little history. Last semester, I felt that I didn't really belong because I was the only person to start in January. Everyone had already been able to get to know each other, and I felt that I was the odd one out... Alright, back to God blowing my mind. I was talking with the people who had returned from the previous semester one night. They began to talk about how many times they feel discouraged, inadequate, never wanting to hear another word of spanish, etc. I was shocked because I had never heard them say that before. To everyone's astonishment, we all had been feeling the same way, but feeling alone and isolating ourselves. We decided right then to encourage each other, and to work on being open.
So, with that, in a nutshell, catches everything up to speed. I am caught up with my internet classes and am starting with Spanish on Monday...
posted by jessika @ 9:29 PM
Comments: 3
