Very Last One

Well guys this very well might be it, my very last blog, and quiet the journey it has been, maybe one day I will go back and read them all, or print them all off and just see and reflect and remind myself of all the things God has done and how He has been FAITHFUL and GOOD throughout all this journey, even in the seasons of doubt and unanswered prayers.

 

I have been back for almost five months now and even that has been a journey and quiet overwhelming at times.  It has been so good to reconnect with many of you, the coffee’s, the meals, the good heart to heart chats, the encouragements and yes, even the tears.   I did finally find a job, starting on September 4th, working with Catholic Social Services in a group home for at-risk-kids.  It’s a six month contract, not my first choice of a job, but I am thankful and hoping that with a foot in the door that it will be a start anyways.

 

It has been good to be back and for the most part that has been my answer when I have been asked, but it has also been a little hard and I think or feel like for the past couple of years I have been living in survival mode, just getting through the days without falling apart.  So now that I am finally here, that I am finally back, after all the craziness in leaving in midst of a pandemic, it has been a little hard and that’s okay and really to be expected.  And honestly it hasn’t been until really recently that I have admitted to myself that it has been hard.  It was hard leaving during a pandemic, packing unpacking, leaving not leaving, all the back and fourth.  It was hard leaving without saying goodbye to SOOOOOOO many people who have been a huge part of my life for SOOOOO many years.  It was hard leaving my dogs behind.  It was hard leaving so many personal things behind ( I know they are just things and can easily be replaced, but still it was hard).  It has been hard that it took me so long to find a job, and again in the spirit of honesty, it has been really hard for my confidence.  It has been hard being back at my parents again (and really I am super thankful for them and for living expense free), but not having my own space or having my own home.  Most of my stuff is still in suitcases and it has been hard because I will go to look for something I am not sure if it’s tucked away in a suitcase, if I left it in Colombia, if I gave it away or where the heck it is.  Anyways it has been good but it has also been hard and I think just giving myself permission to admit that it has been hard has helped and will help in the reintegration back “home”.

 

I know that I mentioned a couple blogs ago it has been a stretching of my faith trusting God in this new journey.  It has been hard trusting Him to provide a job and a place to live (I will be at my parents until November and then house sit for friends of the family for six months).  Trusting Him that I have a place and a purpose and worth back here in Canada.  It has been hard but I know that the God who provided for me in Colombia will provide for me here.  That the God who has been oh so faithful and loving in Colombia will continue to be oh so faithful and loving back here in Canada.  So while there have been fears and doubts and questions and tears, I am (mostly) excited to see what’s next and to see what’s in store and to rediscover  who Ingie in Canada.  Also at the end of this month I am doing a little solo retreat to Jasper, just to have a time of reflection before I start my new job.

 

So once again, like for real, thank YOU ALL, for sticking through this journey with me.  Thank you for ALL the PRAYERS and ALL the SUPPORT and ALL the ENCOURAGMENT.  And since being back thank you ALL for WELCOMING home and making me feel that I have a place back here in Canada.  Words could never express how thankful I am that you were all apart of this journey and all apart of showering God’s love on the beautiful people of Colombia.  I could of NEVER EVER have done this without you, so really from the bottom of my heart and with everything in me, THANK YOU.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Keepin it real in Quito

Yo Yo Yo So I have arrived and I made it safe, other then my luggages coming the next day. I was delayed in Edmonton and Toronto so when I got to Colombia they rushed me and a few other passengers to the flight for Quito. I am staying with a family, in my house there is Mami, who is the grandma, Mampi, her daughter and Joanna the niece, she is about 17 years old. There is also another student from London named Bhavin and a Japenese girl just came yesterday...she is super cool. So if I am to be honest the first week was quiet hard. Language school was quiet overwhelming and I hadnt met anyone yet so I was feeling quiet lonely and missing all of you guys. I let the tears slip a couple times but that is just part if the experience. My teacher tells me that the first week is always the hardest and that in a month I will be speaking Spanish....that brings me some comfort. On a happier note I have been hanging around Quito and that has been cool. Climed up to the top of the Basillica
Read more

Fruit

*(names have been changes for privacy reasons)* Back into the swing of things again and I am super pumped for this year.   Remember the time that I was sharing how I felt that there was no visible fruit last year and how that was really discouraging to me, well a couple weeks ago God blessed me with being able to see some of His fruit from last year, some fruit after a year of tears and prayers.   As some of you also know that for birthdays I take the teen girls out for ice cream.   This is a good one on one time and just a time for them to get out and do something special.   First up every year is Maria.   Last year when I took her for ice cream, conversation was a little strained, a lot of her answers to my questions were just one word and lets be honest, there were a lot of awkward moments.   As this year rolled around first up again was my beloved Maria and we had an awesome time.   We laughed, we talked and she was really honest with my questions and was really honest a
Read more

Boys Camp… Just a little late

Image
When it’s been so long between blogs I always struggle with what to say, or what to share.   Sometimes it feels like so much has happened that I don’t even know where to start and sometime if feels like nothing has happened at all… I guess I will start with the boys camp that we had in November, which was forever ago I know, but I obviously procrastinated and haven’t shared how it went and when I was in Canada over Christmas a lot of you asked me about it. Well it was an adventure.   We only had about 12 boys, which  was a nice small group.   I was really tired and worn out by the time November rolled around, so it was perfect and a more relaxed camp, well for the most part…. I went ahead with three other staff, well that was the plan anyways, but the car we were in kept over heating and we kept having to pull over and wait on the side of the road for it to cool down.   So we got there a few hours after everyone else arrived.   I was so thankful for great staff t
Read more