Bittersweet

Oh my friends. I just returned 5 days ago from my amazing trip to East Asia. I'm so blessed and humbled that the Lord continues to provide ways for me to go back there and that I fall a little more in love with it each time I am there.

That being said, it leaves me with an increasingly bittersweet feeling each time I leave. Do I enjoy returning to my bed, my routine and my comforts of home sweet home? Sure! Who doesn't? At the same time, however, I long for and miss the city and country I never knew I would fall so much in love with.

This trip was amazing. I really loved it. I am so blessed that the Lord put this opportunity before me and made a way to go. On that note, did I ever tell you of how He provided the way completely for me to go? If not, I will now! Its too good not to share.

So, 3 years ago, I was finishing up grad school, which was primarily paid for through loans and grants. Each semester, UNT would send me a check because the total amount of loans and grants I had was greater than all the tuition and fees and such. Well, a few months ago, I get an email from UNT. I hadn't been there in 3 years and honestly don't really have much involvement with them beyond the diploma I possess. I opened the email and it said that in the summer session of 2007, the check they had for me had gotten lost or had never been sent and that they needed to pay me that amount soon or I would lose it. I thought that was great! I had no idea the amount and thought maybe a couple hundred dollars or so since it was just for a summer session. I was a little skeptical too, but proceded nonetheless. At the same time, I knew this trip would be on my dime and I was praying and quickly figuring out ways to save over $2000 I needed for my trip. A few weeks later, the check came in the mail and much to my awe and amazement, the check was for $2500!!! Ya'll - the trip cost $2450. Oh my word. I knew at that point that there should be no doubt in my mind whether I should be returning to East Asia or not. The money basically landed in my lap at the perfect time!

Anyways, back to my trip. This trip was so sweet for a few reasons:
1) Since we were just there to hang out with our friends we had made and there were only four of us on the team, the pace was much much slower. This allowed us to really soak in our surroundings, the culture and really take time to observe how the Lord was working. I wouldn't trade that for anything! If I return to teach English again, it will be hard because I enjoyed this aspect so much!

2) I'm a nut for cultural exchange opportunities and this was truly it. We ate where our friends ate, played the games they play with friends (real MahJong and another really fun card game), saw their city, used public transportation (buses!) and even got to go into one of our friend's homes for a dumpling (jiao zi) making party! Amazing!

3) Because we were soley there to be with our friends, this meant a lot of free time to invest in their lives and see how they live and maybe why some of them have the outlook on life that they do.

4) There were some really deep, meaningful , Spirit-filled conversations that took place and I just love that. These conversations, whether I participated or just listened and prayed, keep playing in my head. Its amazing to watch one's countenance when they first encounter Truth and I just love that!

I could go on for hours about the trip and show you my pictures (I actually took some this time - close to 200! That's a miracle for me!).

For now, I will continue to pray for the country and for my friends there and am eagerly seeking opportunities to return, Lord willing!

"For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations." ~Isaiah 61:11~