Home for Christmas

My heart is so excited to return home for Christmas.  My flight arrives in Minnesota tomorrow evening.  I can't wait to hug the ones I love.  I am so blessed to be able to spend 10 days with my family.  I already planned each day with fun things to do with all of them.  We will make cookies, lefsa, and other delicious Christmas treats.  We will play games, maybe even make a snowman in the snow, do crafts together, possibly find some after Christmas deals, and enjoy one another's company.

My heart is also torn.  I have heard it is very difficult emotionally and mentally when returning to the United States after living in a third world country.  I have been living in Haiti for 6 months.  I have had many new, exciting, and challenging experiences.  I have seen extreme poverty and wonder how I will react to seeing the glitz and glamour of things in department stores.  I wonder how I will feel when I am surrounded by so many materialistic things.  Please pray that I will have a compassionate heart in America.

I have learned so much in Haiti.  The people I have met do not have much by American standards.  But, their hearts are the richest I have seen.  My Haitian friends have taught me how to love, how to build relationships, and how to share with those who have very little.  I have seen them do all of these things.  They do these things when they themselves have little.  They do it because their hearts are full of joy.  Their hearts are so thankful for the blessings the Lord has given them.  They do it because God says to love your neighbor as yourself.  They live a life that shows Christ's love.  I want to live like this.

I will miss the children dearly while I am away.  10 days may feel like an eternity away from them.  They are so precious to me and I know that I will think about them daily.  As I hugged them all good-bye this afternoon, many of them wanted to come with me.  Many of them told me they will miss me, that they will pray for me every day, and that they will wait for me to return.  I am so blessed to have so many children uplifting me in prayer.  I will be praying for them too.