My time serving at Walk in the Light has come to an end, and I can't say that I'm at all excited about that. The past four weeks we spent in the township of Haniville on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg were filled with some of the most moving and powerful days of my life. I can't believe that I have to say goodbye to this amazing community.
Even though I've only spent a short amount of time working in Haniville, I really feel like I have been permanently moved by the time I spent in this community. I am starting to find out that I was created for service. From digging irrigation ditches, to running after school programs for elementary school kids, I truly felt at home at Walk in the Light. I am finding it much harder to complain about any of my life situations when I've witnessed so much suffering in Haniville over the past few weeks. I am so blessed and unbelievably fortunate to be in the position I am in. I really think that when I step off of the plane in Denver in May, I will no longer be able to look at the world the same way.
I would have never thought that I could be so attached to a community I volunteered in as I am attached to the community of Haniville. It is so difficult to put into words. I felt so alive serving the people of Haniville, even when I would come back to my chalet at A.E. exhausted and sun burnt. I wholeheartedly feel like God is showing me how I must live my life when I come back to the United States. I'm finding it harder and harder to think about myself and my needs when there is a world of broken families, terminally ill kids, and abuse like I've never even imagined before.
My life is not about me. Over the past four weeks, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible power of love, in a tangible way. The pain and hurt humanity experiences is no longer a distant concept to me. Children are not getting enough food, the elderly are not getting proper shelter, and a single mother with AIDS is being abandoned - right now. This is an emergency. Complacency has no place in my life anymore. I have no excuse.
But the story does not end here. I have seen more than just suffering in my time at Walk in the Light. I have seen the undying peace and joy of Christ that has healed lives, broken chains, and brought hope to those who have nothing to be hopeful for. I serve a God who loves. I serve a God who answers prayers, who's heart breaks for the broken, and who does not forget about those who have been left behind. Christ heals lives like nothing else in this world can. The life He brings is authentic, and best of all - he accepts us just as we are. Jesus does the healing and renewal for us. And I have seen His love in action like I've never seen it before.
I still have a lot to digest and process from my time in Haniville. The relationships I formed there, the friendships I've made, and the connection to the community I felt I've made there will continue to be close to my heart. But what now? How can I go on living my life in the same way? I'm afraid I've gone through some core transformations that won't allow me to be the same. My prayer right now is that my service here in South Africa won't be compartmentalized and/or limited to the past four weeks in Haniville. This whole idea of service and love toward those in need is not just a 4 week deal. As we get ready to leave for Cape Town next week, I know that my heart will continue to beat to the rhythm of Haniville. I am a part of something that is much bigger than myself.
Next up: Safari trip Monday through Friday
No comments:
Post a Comment