Saturday, November 9, 2013

Getting Back in the Swing of Things

Hello one last time everyone,
  I know, I know, it's ridiculously late to be finishing this last blog post when I'm already back in the states.  But I just wanted to give all of you my final thoughts on my trip back home.  The flight was long and boring and baggage claim was a disaster but I guess that is what's to be expected when traveling out of the country.  However the most difficult part for me was not the actual travel, but the goodbyes.  I don't think I have ever had such a difficult time saying farewell to such a wonderful group of people.  The day before I left, Rachel and I participated in heart-wrenching farewells and we basically ran out of tears.
  But even as I cried my eyes out, a realization hit me.  Growing up, my favorite movie was Mary Poppins.  I loved Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke and the music, and the story line, and just everything about the movie.  The only part that bothered me was the ending.  Mary leaves the kids and that stupid parrot umbrella tells her that they are going to forget her, after all Mary did for those kids, they are going to forget her and move on with their lives with their parents.  It always bothered me but in a very depressed moment as I walked down the steps of the center, it dawned on me the similarity of that scene and the situation I was facing there in Guatemala.  I finally understood why Mary was perfectly fine leaving behind the kids she loved so much.  Because she loved them she knew that it was the best thing for them.  It may seem obvious, but making the connection between the two situations was a major eye opener for me.
  The main thing that God taught me while I was in Guatemala is that it wasn't about me.  Just like in my Mary Poppins analogy!  Working with the teams, nannies, and kids was one of the most spectacularly stressful experiences of my life, and the best part was turning out a more humble person.  This experience taught me how to love and serve people no matter the situation and I can't be more grateful for the lesson. 
  All of you could not have been more supportive of my journey and I can't thank all of you enough and I hope that when I go back all of you will tune back in to follow my adventurous adventures!!
  Love you all so much
  Love,
  Cierra