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The End is Near

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Well, debrief week has come and gone, full of meetings and packing and cramming in as many fun times in our last days together as possible.  It's been a good time of relaxing and reflection and planning for the future.

We had this really great moment in one of our meetings where we all had a chance to encourage our fearless leader, our beloved Rachael.  It was Sarah's turn to say something and she got about a sentence into her encouragement and started to cry, and instantly about 7 of the rest of us also started to tear up.  "Girl's DTS!"  We laughed...and continued to cry.

Our last required reading for DTS was the book Re-Entry by Peter Jordan.  It talks about coming home after missions and the problems that we might encounter.  And there are a lot.  After reading it, I am now prepared for a lot of things, and I was already convicted about some attitudes of mine.

I have to apologize for a post that I made near the beginning of my DTS.  Basically, I talked about how we need to love people, not condemn them, and then went on to condemn the church for not doing this.  Oh, the irony!

So, attitudes that I have to watch out for are those of pride and condemnation.  It's funny how easily those things can sneak up on a person.  I was reminded that being on the mission field does not make me a better Christian than those that are not sent out.  I have seen and experienced different things (different, not more or better), but these experiences do not make me more "spiritual".  Things are not done better on the mission field.  They are done differently.  Life at home is not necessarily wrong, it is different.  The church works differently than missions.  Different, not better.  I have to remember that.

It is not my place to condemn.  I am to walk out my convictions in my personal life and hope that by doing so, I somehow touch people through God's love within me.

Some other cool things from Re-Entry:

Talking about Abraham after Sarah died: "Things would never be the same as they were when Sarah was alive.  It didn't mean that God was no longer going to bless or use Abraham, it just meant that He was going to do it differently."  Just another reminder that things will be different at home.  The DTS phase of my life will come to an end, and then life will be different.  God won't stop working in me, it will just be different.  Debriefing and bringing closure to this phase of my life is super important.  I cannot live in the past.  But I can let it affect and change me for the future, in the ways that God wants.

Reverse culture shock!  I actually think this one might be a huge deal when I arrive back in Canada.  After spending months walking or bussing everywhere, eating street food, living a simpler life (bucket showers, running out of water for a couple days, electricity being out, no wifi (the horror!), washing clothes by hand, squatty potties, no toilet paper, etc, etc), as well as being surrounded by the whole "YWAM culture", adjusting back to North American culture is going to be a shock.  Having my own room and a bed that isn't a top bunk will probably be enough on its own to give me a panic attack.

And now we are heading off to grad.  I still can't believe this night came so quickly.  The past months really did fly by.  I also can't believe how much was packed into these short months: challenges, heartbreak, healing, learning, growing, laughing, crying, friends, adventures.  It's crazy to think about.  I am so thankful for this opportunity to come do my DTS in Thailand with all these beautiful people.  God did so many amazing things here and I'm so glad I came.  This time is full of lessons and memories that I will stick with me my whole life.  And the relationships I've made here... it is going to be so hard to say goodbye to our travelling sisterhood.  I love you guys so much, and I'm going to miss you like crazy.  Remember, we need one wedding a year for the next 11 years so we can have DTS reunions.

Going home is going to be a huge adjustment, and I'm both excited and nervous.  But I'm mostly excited to move onto the next things that God has prepared for me and see what adventures he'll lead me on next.



Prayer Requests:
- for a smooth transition back home
- that we will stay close to God, and continue to grow in the future
- for all the paths God will lead us on after DTS

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