My home far away...
Recently, I returned from visiting Manado in Indonesia as part of a church partnership trip.
If you've read my blog before, you'll know that this is not the first time I've been overseas... But last time I went to Africa and up till few weeks I thought my heart was always going to be to serve and love people in Africa...
However, from the moment I walked out of the airport at Manado into the warm, humid air I was excited to be there. On the first day we got to the church, I was made to feel like family and by the time we came to leave 8 days later, I felt like I was part of the community.
I was blessed to be able to spend time with many beautiful children, to play and sing songs with and communicate the best I could with my limited Indonesian that I thought they were fantastic and I knew that God loved them so much more! Although I am very sad to leave them behind, I am comforted by the thought that there are many really great people in Manado, who love, spend time with and invest in the lives of these children better than I ever could. =)
I was honored to be able to spend time in the homes of our families sponsor kids. To visit their houses, admittedly followed by the whole street, and to pray for them and their family. I was further blessed when I got to see my sponsor child, at the project the next day. For a while she watched me with curiousity, then she progressed to holding my hands and wandering round in front of me. The next day, she was giggling and playing games with me. She is so beautiful and I feel really excited to have met her and I look forward to writing to her and hopefully meeting her again =)
Another thing that really struck me was when we visited a family whose situation was hard. As we talked about how we could pray for them, the mother looked at a small statue of Jesus hanging in her home and told us how much hope he gave her. I left her house blessed and humbled. I had been reminded of how present Jesus could be and just how real and precious a relationship with him can be.
The community in Manado was so beautiful, I was made to feel like I belong and I felt I could truly be myself and who God wanted me to be, I think I'd forgotten just what that was like.
I am grateful for this partnership, I'll contine to pray for you all. I've heard stories and seen pictures of this place, but in a short week they have become so much more real. I hope to see you again soon Manado, my home far away... =)
I was trying to study a few afternoons ago and I couldn't... So I played guitar for a bit and started writing a song called "My home far away" I would have loved to share it with you here but it didn't want to upload for me. I'll put it on facebook =)
If you've read my blog before, you'll know that this is not the first time I've been overseas... But last time I went to Africa and up till few weeks I thought my heart was always going to be to serve and love people in Africa...
However, from the moment I walked out of the airport at Manado into the warm, humid air I was excited to be there. On the first day we got to the church, I was made to feel like family and by the time we came to leave 8 days later, I felt like I was part of the community.
I was blessed to be able to spend time with many beautiful children, to play and sing songs with and communicate the best I could with my limited Indonesian that I thought they were fantastic and I knew that God loved them so much more! Although I am very sad to leave them behind, I am comforted by the thought that there are many really great people in Manado, who love, spend time with and invest in the lives of these children better than I ever could. =)
I was honored to be able to spend time in the homes of our families sponsor kids. To visit their houses, admittedly followed by the whole street, and to pray for them and their family. I was further blessed when I got to see my sponsor child, at the project the next day. For a while she watched me with curiousity, then she progressed to holding my hands and wandering round in front of me. The next day, she was giggling and playing games with me. She is so beautiful and I feel really excited to have met her and I look forward to writing to her and hopefully meeting her again =)
Another thing that really struck me was when we visited a family whose situation was hard. As we talked about how we could pray for them, the mother looked at a small statue of Jesus hanging in her home and told us how much hope he gave her. I left her house blessed and humbled. I had been reminded of how present Jesus could be and just how real and precious a relationship with him can be.
The community in Manado was so beautiful, I was made to feel like I belong and I felt I could truly be myself and who God wanted me to be, I think I'd forgotten just what that was like.
I am grateful for this partnership, I'll contine to pray for you all. I've heard stories and seen pictures of this place, but in a short week they have become so much more real. I hope to see you again soon Manado, my home far away... =)
I was trying to study a few afternoons ago and I couldn't... So I played guitar for a bit and started writing a song called "My home far away" I would have loved to share it with you here but it didn't want to upload for me. I'll put it on facebook =)
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