I wish...

I had no idea how difficult it would be to process my experiences this summer.
It is so hard to put into words all the things that I saw.
It is hard to adequately portray the way the Lord changed my heart.
It is almost impossible for me to summarize into mere paragraphs the people and places that I absolutely fell in love with.

I wish that everyone could experience the summer that I had.
I wish that everyone could see the world the way I now see it.
I wish that everyone could have the chance to love on the children I met.
I wish that everyone's hearts would ache for the lost.
I wish that everyone would have a desire to share the gospel with those who need it most.
I wish...

I can wish all day, but these things I know for sure:

•  I am a daughter of the King [Jn 1:12]. 
•  I rest safely in His hands [Lk 23:46]. 
• When I am weak and think I can't go on, He gives me strength [Is. 40:29]. 
• When I feel defeated and crushed by the world, I take heart because He has overcome the world      [Jn.16:33]. 
• When I feel alone, I remember the cross and rest in God's never ending love [Jn 3:16]. 
• When I feel inadequate, I remember that I am God's workmanship, made perfectly to bear fruit   [Eph. 2:10, Jn. 15:16] 
• When I get too comfortable in this world, I remember that I am not a citizen of this world..my home is in heaven. [Phil. 3:20]

Remembering these truths has been crucial to readjusting to American culture. I never thought it would be difficult to come back to the place I grew up, the place I have always called home. 

The other day, I went to walmart and I almost cried from being so overwhelmed. I cannot count the amount of times I have been to walmart, but this time it was different. This time, I could not stop thinking of all the kids I met that would love to have just one thing from that store. I imagined taking them to the store with me and watching their faces as they experience the toy aisle, the candy aisle, and the clothes section. I imagined buying them new shoes, shirts, and toy cars to play with. I can just see their beautiful faces light up as they see the brand new items that are all theirs. It broke my heart to think that they will never be able to experience that. They will never get to do something that I think is so routine. 

Instead, they find joy in dragging around an old sardines container filled with sand and balls made of collected trash. When we gave them toy cars, stickers, and balloons, you would've thought we were handing out gold. 

I pray that one day, I will learn to see the world from these children's eyes. I pray that one day I will have the kind of faith in my Savior that sees beauty and joy in the "stickers" without needing the "Walmart". I pray that  I will never forget. I pray that I will always choose truth over comfort and challenge over complacency. 

To God be the Glory great things He has done!