Dad forwarded me the questions from your e-mail about Belgium so I could e-mail you personally to try to answer your questions. :-) I'll try to keep the e-mail brief... but I'm not very good at that!
I've known the family I'm going to for as long as I can remember. They are very good friends with the pastor of our church, so I've heard a lot about their family and met some of the family when they've visited our church or church events. I've never actually met the lady I will be helping, but really admire the members of the family I've met, and have heard wonderful things about and from her as well. I hear she's quite the mentor and spiritual leader as well, so I'm looking forward to getting to spend time with her and learn from her. We have also shared Christmas cards and letters with this family for as long as I can remember, so though I wouldn't say I know them well (yet), they've been a part of our lives for quite some time.
As far as why I'm choosing this experience... I'd have to say I didn't really choose it! God did! During our annual Labor Day Camp back in September, the teacher talked a lot about surrendering our lives and plans over to God and giving Him control of our lives. This really spoke to me, and I spent a lot of time dealing with this and trying to let go of some things that I felt I was trying to hold from God and control myself. When I finally got to the point that I was letting some of those things go, God suddenly gave me this very strong desire and interest to go and help take care of our friend. It was almost as though when I gave him the things I was holding back, he took that "empty space" I had left and filled it with this "call". I had known about their situation for quite some time, but never felt "called" to go... until now. Since that experience, I have had many, many things help confirm this "calling", and also feel there are a lot of other beneficial things I will gain from the experience. Since I hope to someday work for CCI, the dog training organization that places dogs with people with disabilities, I think it will be an invaluable experience for me to spend three months living and helping take care of someone with a pretty serious disability. What better way to try to understand the world and challenges they face?! I also feel I am at an age and stage in my life where I need to take a big step and be "on my own" for a bit. I'm afraid to do it, because I've always been in the shelter and safety of my family and home, but I'm at an age where I think it should be done, and I feel that this situation, though terribly far away, is a safe place, and a place where I will receive a lot of spiritual guidance and encouragement as well. In addition to that, I realize that this may be a once in a life-time experience, because if I get a full-time job or get married someday, I will not have the freedom to do this. And finally, I feel like I've been constantly on the go and running around, really not taking time for a long period of rest, refocusing, and quietness for the past 4 or so years of my life, and this "forced" time of quietness, solitude, and being out of my comfort zone will be good for me... I think. At any rate, I'll certainly find out soon enough! :-)
Friday, February 9, 2007
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