Seeds and Seasons

We found out Diwali is next week which is one of the biggest Hindu holidays, so this week ended up being our last week of ministry. It was hard to say bye to the many people we’ve met at our different locations, not knowing if we will ever see them again. There were a lot of emotions packed into this last week. Joy that God gave me the opportunity to meet such wonderful people, laughter thinking about the experiences and funny moments we’ve had being here, sadness in having to say bye to people I truly care about and love, and excitement for time adventuring and debriefing next week with my team before I go back home. I was sick yesterday so I stayed back at the house and in that time I was really able to reflect on what has happened since I’ve been here. 

One thing that was revealed to me in that time was how it was hard a lot of the time to feel like I had purpose here, that God was really using me. But what God showed me this past week especially was that he uses us even in the mundane. That we are his hands and feet whether we sharing a bible story to a room full of women, or letting a child play with our hair, or rearranging furniture for a new stitching class. That God uses us in so many different ways to plant seeds, and even though I won’t necessarily see those seeds develop, it’s evident that God is working in these women and children lives and softening their hearts, and he is allowing me to be able to be a little bitty piece of the puzzle. When he called me here he didn’t expect me to know what I was doing he just told me to love his people and he would do the rest. 

These women and children have taught me so much; I loved seeing their smiles everyday among the pain they experience at home. To be able to love them through a hug or a smile when communicating it was hard. To be able to just spend time with them and listen so they felt like they were a person and what they say matters. I don’t know if I’m ready to go back and be immersed in American culture after being here this long. But I know this season of my life has almost come to an end and I can’t wait to see what God has planned next!

Blessings,
 JL- Goa Volunteer