Experiences of the World Beyond, for a Small-Town Country Boy
Weeks before leaving I tried to focus on finals instead of allowing myself to realize the reality of the trip that was quickly approaching so I wouldn’t be completely scared. When we arrived in Amsterdam we were in a hurry to get to our departure gate as we were jogging/running I stopped by in a store to buy a coke. I noticed the price of the coke was no longer in dollars and when i tried to communicate to the store clerk, she did not speak English. This was a small encounter, but after I boarded the airplane I realized i was finally outside of the United States. I guess I have never realized the true difficulty of being a foreigner.
We arrived at night - which was a blessing so I could get a good night sleep before I faced the reality of the weeks to come. The next day we traveled to the local muzungu restaurant named Bourbon Café. During the short trip to the Bourbon Café, I experienced my first culture shock. It was so different to see Africa or any third world country in person. I had seen pictures and documentaries on television, but none of my previous exposures had me ready for the experiences to come.
Even though I have never experienced this kind of poverty, I knew I could still face this reality and accept that I can do nothing on my own to help the people in the long run. I had at this point two main factors that kept me from hiding in my bedroom and not coming out before the six weeks were over. First, and most obvious, I have and will always have God. When you realize you are never alone and that no matter what happens to you, you will still have God’s love and the everlasting life He promises, nothing anybody can do to you matters. The other factor is I knew I was on an extremely experienced and skilled team. I knew the team had large amount of diverse talents and skills that would help us through any situation we would experience.
After having our information meeting, it was time to get my feet wet. I had not been this nervous since my first college football game. However, by the end of the week I was so excited to start the next coming week I wasn’t able to sleep at night. By the second week I had great conversations of faith and true trust in God. Some readers were even asking so difficult of questions I had to stay up at night reading through Scripture to find answers. I will never know the amount of seeds I have planted or watered, but I do know the readers have encouraged me and have greatly strengthened my relationship with God.
I am looking forward to the next few weeks and hope to build stronger relationships with my readers and God.
Thank you so much for all the prayers, support, and financial contributions. Imana iragukunda (God loves you) and Imana iguhe umugisha (God bless you).
We arrived at night - which was a blessing so I could get a good night sleep before I faced the reality of the weeks to come. The next day we traveled to the local muzungu restaurant named Bourbon Café. During the short trip to the Bourbon Café, I experienced my first culture shock. It was so different to see Africa or any third world country in person. I had seen pictures and documentaries on television, but none of my previous exposures had me ready for the experiences to come.
Even though I have never experienced this kind of poverty, I knew I could still face this reality and accept that I can do nothing on my own to help the people in the long run. I had at this point two main factors that kept me from hiding in my bedroom and not coming out before the six weeks were over. First, and most obvious, I have and will always have God. When you realize you are never alone and that no matter what happens to you, you will still have God’s love and the everlasting life He promises, nothing anybody can do to you matters. The other factor is I knew I was on an extremely experienced and skilled team. I knew the team had large amount of diverse talents and skills that would help us through any situation we would experience.
After having our information meeting, it was time to get my feet wet. I had not been this nervous since my first college football game. However, by the end of the week I was so excited to start the next coming week I wasn’t able to sleep at night. By the second week I had great conversations of faith and true trust in God. Some readers were even asking so difficult of questions I had to stay up at night reading through Scripture to find answers. I will never know the amount of seeds I have planted or watered, but I do know the readers have encouraged me and have greatly strengthened my relationship with God.
I am looking forward to the next few weeks and hope to build stronger relationships with my readers and God.
Thank you so much for all the prayers, support, and financial contributions. Imana iragukunda (God loves you) and Imana iguhe umugisha (God bless you).
posted by Caleb | 3:17 AM
2 Comments:
Caleb, this is so wonderful. I appreciate your honesty and letting us see into your trip as it evloved from fear to excitement and peace. I can't wait to hear more from you and your team when you return. Enjoy your final days. Blessings to you all!
WOW, I am so glad we washed dishes together. This is a neat entry. I have walked your path, I have felt your anxiety (I'm feeling a little bit now even though this will be my third trip), I have been in spots when it was only God and I (or at least it seemed so). Thanks Caleb, for "allowing" God. The blessings are always worth the sacrifices of faith. You have just confirmed it again. Rest and Peace.
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