Life back in the US

So, I have now been back from Namibia for over a month.  Everyone keeps asking how reverse culture shock is going.  Honestly, I did not notice anything significant.  I was able to go into Costco and Target without any meltdowns.  It was a little overwhelming and there were so many choices and so much stuff.  Do people really need all these things? The answer to the question is no.  I lived on a very limited budget and limited options in Africa and was truly happy.  The people I meet there live on so little and were some of the happiest people I ever meet.  They give and give even though they have nothing in comparison to me.  I want to continue to be generous and give back, not just with my money but also with my time.  I already knew this but I realized that relationships are really the most important thing of this life.  It is not how much I have, how much money I make, what car I drive or where I bought my clothes but who I am and how I serve others.  I was able to live in community without the pressure of a culture of consumerism.  I was able to have real relationships with people and they were my number one purpose for being in Africa.  Because I had relationships with people I could be myself and tell them about the gospel freely.  I had no limits.  I was not afraid.

I am back and I want to live simply.  What does this mean?  For me this means less spending on myself and giving more to others.  It means volunteering in a food pantry, giving away my clothing to an organization who gives to those who truly need it, volunteering in a friends classroom, limiting my shopping and babysitting my “nieces”.  I want to encourage you to think about your spending and how your time is being used.  Are you using it wisely? Or more simply, are you giving back?

My time in Africa was life changing.  I do not want to forget those changes.  I am a more patient, generous, trusting and kind soul because of it.