Signing Off

It's 2 a.m. my first night home in America. I was hoping to at least make it til 4 a.m.:) It's mid afternoon Phil. time right now. I'm at my parents home and the air conditioning is on. AC feels weird, we didn't need ac in La Trinidad, we didn't need it here when I left IL in June...I'm readjusting to American culture.

We are all home safe and sound. My back held up marvelously thanks to all your prayers. I was even able to push my luggage cart, something that wouldn't have been possible yesterday. I ate steak with my fam for my first meal in the US, and sat next to my niece:) I didn't like a lot of the Phil. meat, it tasted different.

Thanks so much for being a part of this trip. Your thoughts and prayers fueled me and my teammates, helped make ministry happen, and I couldn't have done it without you!

I'm sure I will continually be asked if I think I will return someday. After investing so much of my time, life, and heart there, I don't know how I couldn't return. As to what degree, I'm leaving that up to God.

Right now, I have one more year of grad school to focus on. While continuing to serve part-time as an intern with ISM, I will be interning this fall semester for my Master's in Counseling at Home Sweet Home Ministries in Bloomington part-time and taking one class. In order to get the most out of my education and become a good counselor, I have to invest much energy emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Just one more year and I'll have my degree.

Probably the greatest thing I was reminded of and learned in the Phil. is how precious relationships and people are. The most important things in life are people. Filipinos create their schedule around this concept. In America, if you live a highly ambitious life like me, you spend a lot of time on tasks, and you have to fight to keep people a priority and make time for them in your schedule, a battle I need to continue fighting, and to a greater scale in some areas. I hope to see you soon! Love, Steph