Headed Home

The last few days seem to be a whirlwind. Things didn't go as planned {typical in Peru}, but in the end, the days were just what I needed. Saturday and Sunday were calmer, soothing days which allowed me time to unwind, pack, and get together with a few people who had been there for me throughout my time in Peru this year.

Saturday I wandered the artisan markets in Miraflores, yet I bought nothing. After 6 times in Peru, everything starts looking the same. Saturday evening, friends were busy with family parties for Independence Day, so I met my friend Javier and we had dinner on the third floor lounge of Rustica. I liked the environment and the company. It was a comfortable ending to a very busy month.

On Sunday I headed to Manchay for church with some friends I had met on the trip to Huaraz. I enjoyed the church service and the smaller, intimate atmosphere of the typical Peruvian church. Camino de Vida where I normally attend, didn't draw me in this year as it has in the past. God opened my eyes to more, and He lead me away from the "mega-church" setting to a more intimate, passionate group. The churches in Huaraz and Manchay helped me to understand more about the need for a body of believers to work together.

After church in Manchay, I met up with a few friends for lunch. After eating my final Peruvian meal, we went to the theater to see Brave, wandered around the mall, and ate ice cream. Last evening, my friend Hector called, and I met him near my apartment to visit one last time before my departure this morning.

Now here I sit in the San Salvador airport for 5 long hours awaiting my next flight to Guatemala; then it's on to Chicago where my parents and Kelly plan to joyfully welcome me home at 1:50 a.m. (Chicago time). Okay, joyfully may be an exaggeration as I'm sure we'll all be dragging our feet, trudging along in spite of fatigue and exhaustion. However, there's just something warm and fuzzy that warms my heart as I think about being home. For the last two days I have been dreading leaving Peru, fighting back tears each time I departed from friends. Saturday evening, alone in my bedroom, I cried until I lulled myself asleep. It's not easy saying good-bye. It's not easy leaving behind the ministries and people that have so deeply touched me and changed me over the course of the last 5 years. However, it's a reality I face year after year.

Now with one flight behind me and two more ahead, I wish more than anything to be home. I can't wait to embrace my family, to share with them the stories that changed my life this summer. You know those stories you've read here on my blog? They sound so much better in person! I can't wait to have a home-cooked, American meal; although I do love Peruvian food. And I'm excited to sit in my own apartment, use my things I've worked hard for, and reflect over my time away all while being swept up in the busyness of starting a new school year.

I am so privileged to have the opportunity to travel each summer to Peru. Summer missions was part of the reason teaching was so appealing to me as a young college student. The more I get involved, though, the more I realize my heart for ministry and the paths that could potentially lie ahead of me. It's all part of a waiting game; missions organizations only accept you with little debt. Unfortunately, my amazing college experience created more debt than most organizations allow. I really don't want to be on the teaching field overseas; I do that in the States. I'd rather work in full time missions of some aspect. In God's time, I trust He will reveal His perfect plan for me.

Thanks for following along on my journey in Peru this summer! Here's to 10 months of teaching in the States!