After being home for a week and a half I went to Guatemala for our 09 Mission trip.
I don't know a better word than "hard." It's like everything I knew was ripped out from under me... twice.
I got to Guatemala and couldn't process. All I could think about was how much I missed NZ and how similar some of the mountainous views were. We did a drive one day that was so much like driving on the South Island... I wanted to cry.
I didn't know where to be. I wanted to be present in Guatemala and for the most part, I was... But I think this part of me that wants to be in NZ is going to remain for ages because it was such a great experience with incredible people and it just went too fast.
So then I finally got comfortable in Guatemala and we had to leave. When I had my exit interview (something we're doing for a future video), all I could talk about was community... the community that surrounded me when we were sleeping on the floor of the DFW airport... the community that surrounded me at our first night of devotions... the community that surrounded me every morning at breakfast and night at dinner... the community that took care of me when I couldn't take care of myself (for those who don't know, I got a concussion... story for a later date).... the community that played the cup game endless times and variations... the community that laughed, lived, loved, sang, built, and cried together for ten days. It was the best mission trip anyone could ask for and I was there.
But then it was gone. We talk about mountain top experiences and how we have to come down from them to continue doing our work in the world off the mountain top... but sometimes I wish we could stay... just a little longer.
So two back to back incredible experiences... how does one cope?
I want to process but I think my brain is exhausted from it... It's ok... i'm not concerned... i'll process and think about it when I need to.
But for now...
I need to let it all soak in....
and might as well mention, 24 days till I reunite myself with the third most wonderful place on the planet... Elmhurst College.
