Hello everyone, Olivia here today! Today as a group we had a travel day back to Arusha! We have a lot of emotions today as it was our last full day in Tanzania. Tonight at supper we did a little activity to prepare for our separation and heading home after so much time spent together. We all picked a word that would best describe our favorite or most impactful aspect of the trip. We then went around and shared why we picked that word. I picked the word Understand. I read something I had previously written and Gayle asked me to share in our post tonight! A week ago, on the flight to Mwanza I had some time reflecting on the beginning parts of the trip. I love to write and really enjoy processing each day on paper and writing the thoughts that are constantly going through my head down. I wrote this on the flight and it became one of the most impactful aspecs of my trip. I hope you enjoy 🙂
“If you don’t know anything about Hope Ministries, it is an organization that works in Tanzania, Africa and provides medical mission work. I got the opportunity to tag along with a medical team as a student nurse for three weeks. And wow did I learn so much about the culture, the people, poverty, medicine, and being a nurse who’s main goal is to serve the Lord. Hope Ministries holds outreach clinics in remote locations for people who have very little access to healthcare. When God sends people in deep need for medical treatment, Hope Ministries supplies them with the full funding to give them the help they need. A lot of these people had medical conditions that are unbelievable and have been going on for a long time. The look of gratefulness on these peoples faces when they learned they would able to get relief from their struggling for free was something I will never forget. Through all of this beauty, I simply feel like I UNDERSTAND my God so much better after looking into their eyes. Seeing the sigh of relief, teary eyes, and the overflowing gratitude when the flight is done. The look on these peoples faces is the exact same look we are all capable of giving to God. Wow. Our long term pain is over, the chronic suffering is done, I get to be healed free of charge. I pray that I never forget that. I pray that I never stop looking at God like that. With tear filled eyes, a healed heart, full of gratitude. I understand why Jesus would sacrifice so much time, energy, and love for that exact same look. Why he would willingly give all his time to spend with the weak, sick, and the misunderstood. Thank you Lord for allowing me to UNDERSTAND. Thank you Lord for allowing me to look into others eyes all while mine were being opened. Thank you for this opportunity.”
Anyways, though this journey I have grown to understand my God so much better. I have loved working with the amazing team, meeting so many people, and having the best experiences. Thank you to all the donors who have made so much of this possible. The Lord is doing incredible things here. To God be the glory.
Thank you, Olivia
