What I'm Learning

I have been thinking of all that I am learning while I have been here. I know when I get home, people will ask me, "So what did you learn?" That is a tough question because I am continuously learning and prosessing what I am learning. Here are a few things, some more thought-provoking than others, that I am learning so far:

-God is teaching me to trust in Him that I will be safe. I have never had to do this before. I have trusted Him in other aspects, but not my own safety to the extent that I do here. Although CVI does have systems in place to ensure safety, it is still hard to feel safe knowing what has happened in the past in northern Uganda. I have realized that life is too short to always be worrying. I'll let God take care of it for me.

-I am learning to be patient. In every way possible! I am forever waiting- for anything and everything. And sometimes even nothing. I have learned to just sit and wait a lot for people, something to start, or sometimes I don't even know what. This has been a challenge for someone who thrives on being busy, but I am slowly learning.

-I am learning another culture's rules, behaviors, and way of life. Every day I learn something new about the Acholi culture or what is or is not appropriate to do.

-I am learning to love all of God's beauty that is creation. Not just the gorgeous sunsets, but the endless seas of tall grass, storm clouds rolling in, and the abundance of green trees. I am learning to appreciate nature, and the fact that everything I eat comes from the ground- my daily rice and beans, vegetables from the market, and even my water. In Donald Miller's book, Through Painted Deserts, he says he is "talking about the earth God meant to speak before we finished His sentence". I like what he says: "In all our technology, we have lost touch with the earth, our heaters and air conditioners robbing us of the drama of seasons, our cars keeping our feet from pacing the land, our concrete and our shoes and our carpet delivering us from the feel of unprocessed earth. We live on top of the created world, not in it".

-I have learned that I appreciate my family and friends more than I ever have before. I am learning that they really love and care about me. One good friend showed this by telling me "You are not missing much" when I expressed how much I miss what is going on at home.

-I am learning to not take for granted the littlest things that I never would have thought of before. There are just too many of these to count!

-I am learning that God is in each and every person, regardless of where they live, or how differently their lives are from mine. I always have known this, but I am actually experiencing it now after meeting people here.

-I am learning to be alone, and to keep things to myself. I like to be surrounded by people, which is why camp and college have been the perfect environments for me. I like to share my thoughts and talk with others. Here I am learning to keep my thoughts to myself or journal them. This might just be because nobody would understand what I am saying anyway! I am learning here that I do not always need to be my enthusiastic, bubbly self. I am starting to learn to enjoy my quiet alone time instead of always being social.

-I learned that I do not like sugarcane (surpisingly).

-I learned that the frogs and caterpillars are poisonous.

-I have learned that I appreciate it when people call me by my name insead of "mzungu", which is getting very tiring.

-I am learning there are some incredible books written. (Read The Shack and Through Painted Deserts if you have not).

-I am learning that when I get home, I will see everything through new eyes. I feel that I will appreciate everything so much more and take full advantage of the freedom and choices that I am blessed with.

-I am learning to not wish away the days, but to live in each moment, treating each as a gift from God. I have not always done this in my life, especially here. It is hard some days, but I am trying. There is something from the book Through Painted Deserts that has really struck me: "It occurs to me, as it sometimes does, that this day is over and will never be lived again, that we are only the sum of days, and when those are spent, we will not come back to this place, to this time, to these people and these colors, and I wonder whether to be sad about this or to be happy, to trust that these hours are meant for some kind of enjoyment, as a kind of blessing".

-I have learned how to improvise when making apple pie and puppy chow.

-I have learned again and again, that I find joy just being with children.

-I am learning what are the most important things in life. In the past, I would say family and friends. But still, the way I lived my life would also say food, social gatherings, living comfortably, and enjoying life. I am learning that it is really very simple- just God and love, which is actually the same thing. God is love. So, the most important thing is to love God and others, and in turn, I am loved by God and others. Again, one more thought from Through Painted Deserts: "I think we are supposed to stand in deserts and marvel at how the sun rises. I think we are supposed to sleep in meadows and watch the stars dart across space and time. I think we are supposed to love our friends and introduce people to the story, to the peaceful, calming why of life. I think life is spirituality".

These are just some of the things I have learned. I am sure there will be much more God will teach me in the second half of this Fantastic Adventure In Trusting Him.