A love so deep discovered in a place so unexpected.

Over the summer I had the opportunity to live in Mozambique, Africa for 3 months. I lived on the beautiful coast of the Indian ocean in a children's center called Arco Iris. As you can imagine there were always beautiful sounds of children laughing and playing; yelling in a language that I knew very little of. We had constant soccer games going, warm weather and constant sounds of music and drums. I was surrounded by colors and patterns unlike anything I have seen, Fashion so inspiring in it's modesty and beauty and so deeply intriguing in such a raw form.

I fell in love with this place; with these people and with this lifestyle. I am wrecked being back home and trying to adapt again to a high paced, superficial and independent lifestyle. Trying to be the way that I was; in my response to life and to people. I have found that I am much more real and much more straight forward. My eyes have seen something so pure and to come back and be constantly intoxicated by advertisements and the next "best thing" is exhausting. To be around people so lost in their surroundings that do not know who they are has overwhelmed me and also brought me face to face with my own character and shown me how little I know of myself.

While I was in Pemba, Mozambique I was taking missions classes. We were taught by missionaries all over the world, especially located in the region of Africa. We learned the extreme struggles as well as the incredible adventure and joy this lifestyle brings to your life. My emotions were all over the map with constant contradicting thoughts of; "I can't do this.."I don't want to do this, it's so tiring" and "this is what I was created for." In the end I finally realized missions is a lifestyle able to be lived any place you are in the world. I grew so much in myself and in the Lord over those three months. I was faced with pains from my own life when looking into the eyes of the hundreds of children I was with daily. I thought I was going there to help them, But in reality I went there and the Africans brought fourth healing and revived my spirit. While in a place of such poverty I was faced with the deep amount of poverty in my soul. Although the African people I was with live in a poverty that is extremely visible to the eye, the biggest thing that shocked me was to find the greater poverty in myself and the western world, the poverty that is hidden; therefor so much more dangerous. We do not realize our deep needs but God does.

I have never known a people so open and loving from the moment they meet you, I felt like part of their family while living on the base. We are family, out of the same place, .."no longer orphans but sons and daughters of the most high King." It is a beautiful thing to realize you are nothing with out God, that you could die if He does not show up. For the first time in my life I was completely dependent on God. I was faced with my deep need for Him and it was the most incredible discovery I have made. To experience such vulnerability and deprivation has opened my eyes to see that truly we are all the same. We are all made in the image of God, destined to know him, to love Him and to love each other; some just choose not and others have yet to hear.

I miss the color, I miss the beauty, I miss the lifestyle of community and dependency, I miss the music, I miss the culture, I miss the babies I fell in love with, I miss the little shacks, the terrible food, the smell of ocean and the sound of Makua and Portuguese. I am changed because Arco Iris opened their gates to me, I am changed because Africa allowed me to experience life in the midst of such death.

As you can imagine I have questioned a lot since being home. I have been simplified and have learned of the Lords deep love for me even in the complete darkness of my own soul. I am humbled but so loved in this place. I feel alive for the first time.