Back to the States, लेकिन मेरा घर यीशु है
लेकिन मेरा घर यीशु है: lekin mera ghar yeshu hai. Hindi for "but my home is Jesus".
I've been back to the States for a few weeks now. It's been a busy few weeks, and a tough adjustment. My friend Olivia, who went on a similar journey this year, and I have discussed how it's hard to call Springfield home anymore when now we have another home, another family abroad. In the midst of this year, and even these last few weeks, I've learned to put my home in God, in the ways he has been working in my life, and in the family he has given me.
People ask me "How was India?" and I don't exactly know what to say to that. Like I said, six months of completely new experiences is a little hard to sum up. However, I do encourage you to reach out and ask me about it if you're interested. Having someone to listen to where I've been and who I have become has quickly become the biggest gift anyone could give.
While I can't explain every memory, I can sum up some of the best things I've learned in my last year, in Springfield MO, Zimbabwe, a small camp in Louisiana, Nashville TN, finally New Delhi, India, and back to Springfield----
64 Things I learned in the past year:
1. Not a single material possession could be more important than the people in your life.
2. Culture cannot be defined by an explanation and even more so cannot define a person.
3. A US dollar means so much more than it may seem. In India, it could mean a loaf of bread and a packet of milk. Or half a dozen eggs and a couple bananas. Or a trip to the metro station and back. Imagine what a hundred dollars could do.
4. As a white American, you carry an immense identity already when you enter another culture. It is not only your responsibility to represent that identity with the most kindness, authenticity and care possible, but to also know when that identity overtakes what you can offer in a situation. Know when to step back and be gracious.
5. Modesty is underrated.
6. Agriculture across different countries is perhaps one of the most enriching things I've gotten to learn about.
7. Language holds much more importance than just speaking. It holds respect, trust, honor, interest and care, compassion, and tenderness.
8. Never underestimate the power of shaking someone's hand and telling them "good morning".
9. In Hindi, good morning is "shu prabhat"!
10. Making your bed and doing your dishes is a valuable habit to keep.
11. Across the world, waking up early and spending time outside with God carries the same amount of freshness and peace.
12. The most precious thing a person can give you is their story. Honor that gift with how you listen to them.
13. Plants that live on the roof don't really like Indian summers unless you know how to look out for them.
14. Children are so important. So important.
15. Every person in your life always has something to offer.
16. Organizing a group of people to work together is never, ever perfect. But what matters is the intentionality you carry towards each other, and that you enter everything with the right attitude.
17. Love is spelled T-I-M-E.
18. It's impossible to give everyone that deserves it your time each day. Imagine the patience and grace that God give each one of us every day.
19. It's okay to be where you're at. It's okay to want to grow, and it's okay to also be content.
20. Always seek balance.
21. Music, cooking, and language are some of the most enriching things you can gain in a different culture. But the best part is the friends you gain through those!
22. There are so many things that I want to do in my days---cook, read a book, plant something, journal, paint, write letters, interact with people I love---there is no time to be on my phone or watch TV!
23. Eye contact can mean many things around the world but is powerful in every culture.
24. Pictures are powerful. Know when to take out your camera, and know when to be present in your heart.
25. Food is the way to the heart! Learn how to enjoy mealtime, be present, and eat all your food!
26. Words are powerful.
27. Chai is only the best in India. Which is good, because there is a lot of it there.
28. Short term missions and long term missions each have their place and need. Understand your identity in each, and always be gracious about the people that are welcoming you.
29. Monkeys are mean.
30. Other religions can sometimes make you feel more welcome than your own.
31. Always be conscious of how much money and resources it takes to travel somewhere and know when it is more beneficial to stay at home and help from there.
32. Music can always bring you back home.
33. Sometimes meeting people with different theologies within your own religion can be more challenging than facing someone with a different religion. Never forget to value the person above being right.
34. Always journal, always take pictures! You'll regret the times you didn't.
35. Be irrationally generous.
36. Reflect back on where you have come and tell your story to others. You never know how you could change someone's life by who you are.
37. If someone inspires you, tell them. (thanks Deepak for teaching me that)
38. Vasudhaiv kutumbakum. The world is one family.
39. Spending more time and resources to be environmentally and socially conscious is so so so worth it!
40. We make an insane amount of trash every day. No one stops to consider what happens to it all until you've seen it pile up.
41. Stop worrying about your life! Before you know it, it will waste away. When you look back anyways, the best times are the ones making memories with your friends and family, not when you are deciding about your future. This is one I always have to keep telling myself.
42. Start each day being thankful.
43. There is a place to be considerate of another's culture, and there is a place to break some boundaries, be yourself, and smile brightly.
44. Dance in the kitchen while you cook dinner.
45. Be hospitable. Jesus knew what that meant really well, and so does Indian and Zimbabwean culture.
46. You can't save everyone, but you can work every day towards it.
47. No child should ever have to live on the streets, and experiencing that first hand will change your life forever.
48. Sometimes men need to be taught how to be respectful more than women need to be taught how to protect themselves.
49. Understanding the history of your religion, of other religions, what you were raised to believe, what you're being taught, and what you believe out of all of that is a big task and a very important one.
50. Americans eat a ton of meat.
51. Managing your time is a life long task. Never get too stressed out, always wake up with a new day and new grace.
52. Women can be so strong and powerful. It is important to give them a voice.
53. Don't neglect the people who got you to where you are now. They matter more than you'll ever realize.
54. Listen to the birds!
55. You never realize how much water you waste until you don't have an unlimited supply.
56. It will always be worth it to make a fool of yourself to try and speak someone's language. There is nothing like the joy on someone's face when you make an effort to know them.
57. You will never be able to please everyone. Don't waste your stress on worrying about it!
58. When something matters to you, be confident and unapologetic (but not mean).
59. If you need to check what is really important to you in life, let someone who doesn't speak English cut off all your hair.
60. There are some days that are good for sleeping in, but on most, it's better to wake up early and not miss a moment.
61. Missing people is hard. Sometimes you deal with it well and sometimes you don't.
62. Always write down everything. You'll cherish it later.
63. It takes a lot of compassion and patience to encourage change.
64. Fight for what you believe in and never miss a moment.
I'm not sure I could easily sum up my experience in one blog post. I hope you have been following the posts along the way, and I even wish I had written more along the way. It certainly wasn't what I expected, and I'm glad it wasn't. It taught me more about life and myself than about concrete skills I imagined.
God never works in ways that we expect, and the last year of my life now serves as a testimony to his goodness.
That's why when I say, I've come back to the states, but God is my home, I've learned that it's tough to find a new place that feels home across the world. It's tough to have more than one family. But that's the way it is meant to be. There is so much sweetness and comfort in connecting with people and intertwining your stories. I may have more than one home now, but it allows me to say that each day, I can find my true home in God and his family.
