I've been home for a month now and I'm still trying to adjust to American life, but I wanted to update all you faithful friends and family on my last experience in Tacna.
Many of you know that I made it home safely, but most of you don't know that I ALMOST didn't come home the day of my flight. I got really sick (again) the Tuesday before my Friday flight. I had a ton of plans for my last week in Tacna consisting mostly of letters and gifts I wanted to make and buy for my friends, but I was hardly able to do much that last week.
Finally, on Thursday night, I got more sick than I had been in Tacna. I went to the church in Local Central for a going away party, but I never actually attended the party. A handful of people did, however, come visit me as I lay on the bathroom floor. It was there that I said goodbye to some of my dearest friends in Tacna.
As the night went on I experienced some of the worst pain of my life. Our friend and doctor, Ebel, gave me an injection that was supposed to make everything feel better. I finally went home with my Peruvian family and team, but the pain continued. We all went to bed, but at 1:30 in the morning I woke up my sister and asked her to call the doctor because I was in excruciating pain. Judith made me the tea the doctor prescribed while Stephanie searched online for a way to change my flight.
I remember praying, "God, if you want me to stay longer in Tacna, please just tell me. I will stay if that's Your will. But if you want me to go, PLEASE touch me and heal me. You are so powerful, please have mercy on Your child." Within 45 minutes God had given me the release I needed. I told my sister and Judith that I'd let them know in the morning if I would be able to make the 26 hour trip home.
I woke up at 9am the day of my trip and announced, "I think I can do it." My team and family were thrilled, so I frantically started packing my things and finishing up notes and gifts for my Peruvian family in the 3 hours before Brian, the pastor, came to take me to the airport. Judith made me 2 plastic bags of plain rice and 1 bag of boiled chicken so I could eat mild foods throughout my journey.
I said my tearful goodbyes to friends and family and was on my way.
Because I had a 9 hour layover in Lima and was exhausted, the church arranged for a mother of a church member who now lives Lima to pick me up from the airport and allow me to rest for a few hours in her home before my flight. The 8 hours I spent with Tia Orietta became one of the most memorable points from my time in Peru.
Tia Orietta is the most loving and caring person I've ever met. Her warmth toward all people is something that has stuck with me these past few weeks. She demonstrated genuine love toward total strangers (including me). I couldn't thank her enough for her hospitality, but she assured me it was a blessing to help a sister in Christ. She also made me the best chicken soup I've ever had. :) I rested in her home for seven hours and then we prayed together and went back to the airport. She waited an hour alone for me to check in my bags and walked me to security where we hugged goodbye as if we'd known each other for years.
Watching the way she interacted with me and others in those few 9 hours has inspired me to demonstrate Christ to all people in every situation. Tia Orietta isn't just a nice person who smiles at everyone she meets; it's as if her every encounter with other people--friend or stranger--screams, "You're valuable to God and, therefore, to me!" The way she talked to and cared for me, the way she treated our taxi drivers and the taxi drivers we walked past, the way she loved and disciplined her 9 year old daughter--it all reflected a person who values Christ and others.
I tried to use what I'd learned from Tia Orietta in my interactions with people throughout my travel home. I'm not sure how successful I was considering I couldn't verbalize things quite the way she had, but in my heart I was definitely loving the strangers I encountered.
After 26 hours of travel and little sleep, I arrived at LAX. I was finally "home!" I rushed through baggage claim and customs to find my parents waiting for me. I had a lot of things to sort out emotionally, physically and spiritually, but I could not deny God's hand upon my safe and even healthy travel back to the States.
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