One Last Week

Well, I'm officially back in the states but I'll finish up with one final closing blog.

As a friend from Jos put it, we went out with a bang- literally. This past Thursday the Camiolas, some friends, and I carpooled up to Abuja to check out the celebrations for Nigeria's 50th year of independence. They were going to have a program downtown. A couple of us girls went early the morning of and things were insane, people mobbing at the gates trying to get into an invitation only program. We talked to a guard and made it in but the Camiolas came a bit too late to get inside. The program itself, in my opinion, wasn't all that exciting. Of course, nothing ever goes as planned and that made things pretty eventful. Things like the major rainstorm in the middle of the program, people breaking down the back fence and climbing up trees to get in, guards breaking out the tazers, and then the car bombs a block down from us...just to name a few. The last was sad, reminded me of my last day at the medical outreach where they brought in the man who had just been beaten to death. You try to do something good but there's constantly a reminder of the evil that can pervade every aspect of life. Still, it's comforting to know there is salvation even for a broken place like Nigeria.




In these 2 short months I've wrestled with a lot of hard questions, specifically guidance as to what the next step is. Still don't have an answer to that but it's coming. Before leaving for Nigeria, I would say I really felt like I was on the edge of something great; God would have something amazing up His sleeve. Coming without a group and seeing the day-to-day life, I can equate missions with running the Chicago marathon (which by the way is this upcoming Sunday- can't wait!). People want to come to see the big event, cheer runners on, and be wowed by the greatest results. What the crowd doesn't see is the months of preparation behind that day- logging mile after mile, subsuquent injuries, and the daily struggle to just stay committed. However, that's where the greatest things lie, not in the "wow" but the "how" you got there. I've had some unforgettable experiences like assisting in surgeries, talking to prostitues, and working with orphans. The list could go on but what I did pales in comparison to what was done within me.

Thanks everyone for your support throughout this trip. You've all been such an encouragement!