a reflection of the past three weeks

wow. wow. wow. I can't believe that the love africa portion of my trip is over. looking back on the past three weeks, i have realized that this trip was not easy. we saw so much brokenness and hard situations, yet through that, we were also able to see so much joy. we saw people who live day to day who wonder where their next meal is going to come from, but they always trust that the Lord will provide. there is so much that we have experienced, and I am so thankful I had the opportunity to come to Kenya with love africa.
as a love africa team, we survived the long matatu rides that were very bumpy, hiking an inactive volcano for 6 hours, and two floods. we went through a lot as a team and I was able to meet so many people I would never have the opportunity to meet otherwise. not only did we serve the people of kijabe and the surrounding areas, but we were also able to serve each other. team unity is something that is so very important especially when you're on the mission field. at the beginning of our trip, the core team told us that by the end, we would become a family and we did. we laughed, cried, prayed, and lived as a family.
at our last big group meeting, someone asked this question: "although you have seen all this joy and have gotten to love on some kids, what are you going to do about all the brokenness and pain that is so evident as well?" this question really made me think and someone answered it very well. we are like clay pots. after going on this mission trip, we have been smashed on the ground, and we are shattered into a million pieces. we can put ourselves together with glue, but we will never quite be the exact same as before we were broken. I thought that this was a perfect metaphor for any mission trip. I am always changed after coming back and as I see my clay pot looking a little different, I am reminded of what I have seen, heard, and felt.
overall, love africa was able to open my eyes to so many different ministries, and I was also able to see the hand of God work so clearly. He is Jehovah Jireh, the King of all, and the Creator of everything. He provides for the family that needs dinner, the widow that needs loving on, and the child that needs someone to lean on. He also orchestrates everything perfectly and He has showed me that His plans are way better than my plans. He brought together 22 college-aged kids from all over the country to love on and to serve His people is many different ways. He has a sense of humor, too. He thought the best way to make our team even closer was to live through two floods together. (if you want to hear those stories, come talk to me). but, all in all, this trip was one that I will never forget. the people, the views, and the experiences have left an imprint on my heart and for that I can only be thankful.