As I approach the end of this trip, I am always at odds with going home. Don’t misunderstand – I love my home, my family, my country and look forward to returning to my home! I just find myself reflecting on the same things every time I leave Africa.
You see, I’ll never truly know what it feels like to be starving, not knowing when or where my next meal may come. I’ll never truly understand an orphan’s cries as he/she sits alone and abandoned with no one to turn to. I’ll never walk 6 hours to source for water-often brown, un-drinkable water. I’ll never know what it feels like to bury one or more of my children under the age of 5, perhaps even a brother, sister or mother in the same year. I’ll never understand the inability to read or write my own name, or to not have had access to basic education. There are so many things here that as hard as I try…I can never truly understand.
I believe the story God is writing with my life is simply to continue coming and help our team so they can pull those much less fortunate out of the river…and teach/assist them to float, swim and/or fish-and thrive. I see and I understand the joy when I see first hand orphans loved, hungry people fed, water packs filled with clean safe water hanging in huts, children as well as adults being taught to read, write and even learn computer skills, the handicapped become mobile with a simple cart, villagers sleeping protected under bed nets and more.
I don’t know how much time I have left on this earth..and I don’t know what my future holds – but I do know without a doubt that I have received far more than I have given over the past 8 years that I have been coming to Kenya. Thank you to so many of you who have shared this journey with me. I am forever grateful and forever and always changed because of the experience. Bridgette