Back!

Friends!
Just a quick update to let you know that I'm safely in the United States and currently at De-briefing camp in El Paso, TX with YIM. I will go home to Bolivar tomorrow morning. Our goodbye on Monday night was wonderful. It was on the roof of our house where my teammates and I had spent a lot of nights talking-the perfect location! The children at the CDC and families from the church came. They surprised us by playing a mix of our music and it was hilarious! It included songs like "Bye, Bye, Bye" and "Unwritten" It was a sad and moving goodbye, but I suppose it went about as well and goodbyes go. When we got to the Belgium airport we were SO excited to step outside in Belgium. We just stood outside the airport and took in the fresh, clean air, organized traffic, few people, and no cars honking. A huge change from India! My teammates and I quickly discovered that we did indeed smell and sweat of India--my family should be happy that it might be out of my system by tomorrow! The food that we ate on the airplane from Belgium to Chicago was DELICIOUS. I don't think I've enjoyed and savored a meal as much as I did that one in a very long time. It was such a change from what I've had all summer, even though Indian food is great...it was nice to taste more variety and more of what I normally eat at home! Needless to say, I can't even describe how stoked I was to eat it! When we reached Chicago and I turned on my phone and had SERVICE I was so happy to talk to my family! I even cried as the plane touched down and I heard my mom's voice! (this was probably a combination of multiple factors: sleep deprivation, I hadn't been on US soil in 2 months, and I just love my mom dearly) We had a 7 hour layover in Chicago but we enjoyed our time together and I got to try Cinnabons for the first time! De-briefing camp has been wonderful. I've been able to catch up with good friends along with spend time with friends that I meet at the beginning of the summer. It has been wonderful to hear other teams stories, worship and fellowship together, and have time with my team to debrief more and put some closure on the trip together. Before reaching El Paso and beginning camp it felt like India had just been a dream. I mean, a plane doesn't leave much room for gradual change-at one moment you're in India and then the next you are in the US. It was frustrating that I got back into routine so easily here and felt distance from India, but discussions and time with my team here has really helped make it more real. Please pray for us as we will be separating from each other tomorrow morning for the first time in 2 months. Pray that everyone that participated in YIM will go home and rely on the Lord's strength to make changes in their life and live in communion with God on a regular basis. Please pray for me as I continue to work back into our culture. It has been challenging for me in several ways...pray that I will live in the Lord's freedom. Thank the Lord for his faithfulness to all of the teams over the summer and all he has taught us. I can't wait to see each of you and talk with you! See you soon!

Peace,
Jen