Where do we go from here?

Today has been a day of tears. Reality is making itself known in that we will not be here in Arequipa forever. For two weeks we were blessed to host a group of 16 Harding University students. Arequipa was one of a few stops during their summer missions internship. They left this morning, headed for Cuzco, and soon after, to the USA.

We are now back to "normal" which includes our final language and cultures classes, our last house church meetings, final morning runs with my Mission Mom, ultimate nights watching the Cosby show with the family, and, well...numerous lasts. 

Today in my language classes, I kept having these weird flashbacks to elementary school and to high school. I can't explain it, but it was like a superhuman awareness I had for my past... REALLY strange. The strongest emotions I've ever felt came back into my present conscious this morning, compounded with the sadness I already feel for leaving this place. 

It made me wonder: why does God gives us the ability to feel things so strongly? Why are we able to taste pieces of Heaven? It has occurred to me that unless we are being intentional about who we are around, we will be physically separated. And, even when intentions are to be together, sometimes circumstances create distance. 

So where do we go from here?

The internship officially ends one week from tomorrow. I feel that God has begun teaching me another lesson titled "How to live at home." How many times have we sung songs: this world is not my home, I'm just a'passin through...or...this is my temporary home, it's not where I belong... I am learning that this is something I never really believed, it's only something I have said.

God is teaching me to live in Him rather than in South America or in the United States. He is whispering: 'Make your home in ME, yearn only to return to ME.' I haven't learned yet, I think this is why I'm still in tears. Please pray that satan will not cloud the vision God has opened up to us through his love and his forethought plan for His Kingdom. 

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:18

A Thousand+ Words

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. I couldn't write all that has happened, so for those of you visual learners I would like to share a few snapshots of the first 1/2 of my time here in Peru.
(Woah, I can't believe it's already been one month!)

Gems

There are in our lives gems. We find them unprepared, unexpectedly, undeservedly. They are gifts from a source outside of ourselves, and we are the blessed recipients. I have been reflecting on these gems in my life.

A couple nights ago I had gone to the Café before returning to my Peruvian family's home. I have become good friends with several of the Café workers, in particular a young man named Emilio. He is a member of our house church and a good friend of the missionaries here. Adelita (my sister in the host family) had assured me it was safe to walk back to our house that night, but Emilio insisted on walking me there. Along the way, we talked about important things the way good friends do.

When we got to the house, Emilio kissed me on the cheek (a Latin custom for greeting and sending off), and said goodbye. One thing I love about Emilio is that he always leaves me with a command that will benefit me. Some examples are: Kayla, "estudia"="study" / "tranquila"="be at peace" / "cuidate"="take care of yourself"...

As I said above, Emilio and I spend time talking about things that matter. As he walked me to my house, we shared struggles, thoughts, and reflections. I confessed to him that I was really uneasy about a few things that day ... not even so much uneasy, more so just overwhelmed.

The only explanation I can find for what it's like to come upon a gem in this life is the overwhelming understanding that this (fill in the blank) is simply a gift: be it a person, a circumstance, or a revelation.  I cannot put into words what makes someone a gem. If you can, please respond with your thoughts.

My time here is SO rich. I feel like an unschooled learner who just walked into Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (known as the greatest library in the world) At times I fear I am unequipped to take it all in.

As he said goodbye that night, he left me with the instruction "descansa"="rest". I took it to mean "rest from your fear." {{Sidenote: Let me say, as far as safety goes I feel safe in this place. I don't feel afraid being here, but usually the fears we wear as shackles are not tangible at all.}}  As he turned to walk back to the Café Connection, he disappeared into the crowd. My eyes continued up the hill where I saw a sea of lights. In this city of nearly 1 million people, I was reminded how small we are. I saw the sparkling lights and I thanked God for gems in my life.

So gems...
As I stared into the lights of the city from my rooftop that night, I couldn't get past the realization that I had been gifted with another gem. Thank you God for the gems in our lives. Those people, circumstances, teachings from You, are GIFTS that we don't deserve.

I don't know how to qualify a gem, but this causes me to reason that you cannot describe something from another world with the words of this one. I am convinced there are pieces of heaven on this earth...I like to call them gems.