7-25-08

1pm
Long Beach, Ca
Home

America. Home. I’m really back. It’s all so surreal.
Our goodbye night was amazing. The video brought me to tears as I looked back at all the faces of children and tore up people, broken and needy. Carlos did a solo drama to the song I Can Only Imagine. It was beautiful. I looked around the room. I want to go to heaven. I hope and pray all those people that were in the room with me will be in heaven with me.
The video had a slideshow of pictures that went with a song that says:

“There are many prodigal sons
On our city streets they run
Searching for shelter
There are homes broken down
People’s hopes have fallen to the ground
From failures…
This is an emergency!

Chorus:
There are tears from the saints
For the lost and unsaved
We’re crying for them come back home
We’re crying for them come back home
And all your children will stretch out their hands
And pick up the crippled man
Father, we will lead them home
Father, we will lead them home
There are schools full of hatred
Even churches have forsaken
Love and mercy
May we see this generation
In its state of desperation
For Your glory …
This is an emergency!

(chorus)

Sinner, reach out your hands!
Children, in Christ you stand!
Sinner, reach out your hands!
Children, in Christ you stand!

(chorus)”

I wept. That’s why we went. The purpose of it all, our responsibility. We sang worship songs together and made our way to bed.
It seemed like such a sad day when I woke up. We loaded up the bus and made our way to the airport. We said our goodbyes and went to our terminals. It was such a melancholy feeling. It was so strange, but exciting, but also extremely heart breaking. It didn’t really hit me until we got to the airport in Texas. I was in America again. The trip was over, I had to get used to the culture and lifestyle of yet another country.
Saying goodbye to my leaders was hard enough back in El Salvador, now I had to say goodbye to the rest of the team. Goodbye to everyone. It was such a quick, short, goodbye as everyone rushed to their planes.
Kristen and I had the same flight to LAX, but we weren’t sitting next to each other on the plane. About five minutes after we took off, there was a big boom and the plane dropped dramatically. It turns out that the right engine blew out. They had to turn the plane around and go back to the airport and put us onto a new plane, delaying us over an hour, nearly two.
Some people had rebooked their flights as soon as the plane came back to the airport, so when we got back on the plane, there was an empty seat next to me so Kristen and I got to sit together by the grace of God.
We had and “Isaiah party”. We read through Isaiah 49 through 51. That’s twelve chapters of scripture together. In the middle of our study we got out Chikys (the amazing Central American cookies), a huge chocolate chip cookie, Doritos, Dr. Pepper, and Tic Tacs. All the things we had been deprived of (other than the Chikys of course).
We were quit the seen. Our seats were loaded with junk food as we laughed and watched the setting sun in awe. I’m glad the engine blew out. If it hadn’t, Kristen and I wouldn’t have been able to sit next to each other, and I probably wouldn’t have read any scripture; and Lord knows I needed that scripture.
Once the plane landed, I got excited. I knew my mom was in the same building as I was. That simple knowledge brought the biggest smile upon my face.
We made our way down to the baggage claim and I saw her. I ran to my mom and hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. I hugged my step-father. I missed them so much. Then, to my surprise, two of my best friends, Danny and Joe, came out from their hiding places around the corner. I was so surprised to see them.
Kristen and I said our final goodbyes and I went home. It all seemed fake, like a dream, both good and bad.

I stepped into my small Long Beach apartment. It seemed so big now. So clean. I jumped around the house as I faced the reality of the true luxury I’ve been given. I have a home. I have a room. I have my own bed, carpet, a closet with clothes, a refrigerator, and a couch. Luxuries, all luxuries.
Danny and Joe left and I showed my mom and Edwin the team video and pictures, knowing that even with all this, they will never understand. As much as I wish they could all understand, they don’t need to. This is my story. This is the life God has given to me.

This is our team video that we watched during our farwell night and also the one that i showed my parent as soon as I got home. I know it's long, but it's wonderful. The first five or so minutes or mostly inside jokes between my team members and myself, but the last ten minutes really capture and portray the heart of missions and the purpose of this entire trip. please take the time to at least watch the last part of this video. Thank you and God bless.