changed...

I knew that I would change and that my world in which I had lived would also change over the months I was gone. Going on the field, one never comes back the same, and the world in which you lived did keep going on. They didn't stop because you were gone.

It's been a right at a month since I've been gone. Lives back at home are already changing so much. And a few things have happened that I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined.

As for me, it's in the small things.
- Eating pasta! For me, I'm just not a huge pasta eater at home, but here it's become a dear friend.
- Having my daily intake of fruits and veggies, which I rather enjoy (a shocker most likely to those who know me!) But man, fresh fruits here are amazing!
- Cooking for me and Katie (it's not that I couldn't cook, I just didn't). I feel like such a Susie-homemaker at night, cooking and cleaning and all. But I don't mind it here.
- Walking up to someone and asking them if they spoke English so we could ask them a few questions! (FYI, Katie and I are both strong introverts - so the day we did this, it took us a good nearly 30 minutes to even get up the courage to ask someone if they spoke English!)
- Walking - oh my goodness I love walking everywhere. Now, I admit, I miss my personal mode of transportation for getting groceries and I especially missed it in Paris when a 3 hour bus ride could have taken 30 minutes in a car.
- Being emotional/vulnerable - As many who know me, I'm not one to cry. I'm not one to trust easily. I'm not one to share deep feelings unless you really know me. After being detained, threatened with jail, escorted through 3 countries, deported, and questioning all that I thought I knew, I found myself in tears nearly everyday for about a good week. I would sit there and cry, saying "I don't know what's wrong with me! I'm not usually this emotional." And then I found myself sharing my life, my struggles, my journey with these people I had known for a little over a week. I found myself taking down the walls I had so carefully put up over the years. And because I allowed them in, I found healing, words of wisdom, and beautiful new friendships. And for those who aren't with me know, I miss them greatly. This is so odd to me. To have known someone for 3 weeks and have such a deep and real connection.

Who knows what the next few months will bring. This trip surely isn't about being in my comfort zone, and I really wouldn't want it to be.

As I 'preached' to so many, be flexible, that's the key thing. I'm always amused at how the Father proceeds to stretch me just a little more each day. After being deported and having to be reassigned, I wondered just how much more flexible I could be and how much more I would need to be. But as always, He provides my strength. So I keep walking each day trusting in Him, as I've learned, that's all I can do. And I believe that's all He wants me to do, wake up each morning trusting in the One who created all things great and small.

- On a day when the tide was in - it had just finished storming this day.



- When the tide is in, water sprays up on these and the locals say it's beautiful.

- jen