June 9 (home)

Thursday

It's crazy that I'm home right now. It sometimes feels like I never even left...that I was never even there. But I have the memories and pictures and feelings.

It's going to be interesting to see how I will change from now on. I am still passionate about the same things and a lot of people know already. Maybe I will have to make my passions more of who I am than ever before...or just be more vocal about it...

I think I did learn a good lesson on assuming things about people, which I've been praying about for some time now. I never expected to get as close to my team as I did. They really caught me off guard. I was so wrong. But I'm so grateful that I was because they are awesome people. I'm really looking forward to building up the relationships that I formed this school year.

I also think I drove the idea of simplicity deeper into my being. We do not NEED all of the things that we have to be joyful and content with life.

Being in Swaziland also just made qualities like joy, simplicity, love, servitude, and humility so much more real to me. I think for me, it's not trying to attain these qualities as much as it is working on things not to do so that these qualities can move forward. I feel like I've lived a fairly simple life, but I lose sight of things because of different distractions around me. I think by removing these distractions, everything being pushed inward can then be expressed outwardly.

I also learned so much from the Swazi people. They make me want to be a better peson. I saw real love, real hope, real joy, real servitude in them. They were so on fire for God and for serving people. Incredible examples.

[Swaziland was such an amazing learning and growing experience. You have my journal entries here to get an idea of everything, but I really cannot put the whole experience into words! You'll just have to go and experience it all for yourself! And I just want to thank everyone who kept myself and my team in their prayers during this trip. Prayer is really powerful, and I know it made a difference, whether we were aware or not. And thanks to whoever made it this far into my journal! I hope you enjoyed hearing all about my trip! Even though it's over, I'll probably keep writing about it, so keep an eye out for future entries.]