2013 was quite the interesting year to say the least. It was filled with a lot of laughter, tears, smiles, joy, transitions, new and old things.
looking back at the beginning of this year i struggled a lot with transitioning back from South Africa. I definitely had reverse culture shock to say the least. it was overwhelming coming back to people i love and wanting to talk so much about Africa and them not really understanding (which is not at all their fault). i missed the carefree nature of being in Africa and the fact that people did not judge me but instead everywhere i went i felt comfortable and accepted because in Africa they do not care about the outside. they just care about the inside. i missed being with my family (of 50 people) and waking up everyday to see there faces. but i feel like wherever you go you leave part of your heart there for i definitely did that with Africa for there is not a day that goes by where i do not think about that country, the people, and the kids i got to know so well. don't get me wrong the beginning was also amazing where i got to live with 2 girls i experienced africa with and we bonded through our missing africa and setting up reunions all the time with our group. i learned what it is like to go through a drastic change and how to rely on God to help me get through the rough patches.
then moving on to summertime. at the beginning i was thinking it was going to be your typical boring summer but it ended up being better than i thought. i took summer school (bio and senior sem) and got to learn a lot and make new friendships with the people in my classes. i also got the wonderful opportunity to work with special needs kids at my church every sunday. i worked with 2 autistic boys and oh how they grab my heart. yes they are nonverbal but kids like them shows you things in their actions. which just now thinking about it brings me back to when i worked with the kids in africa. even though we could not communicate with them we communicated through our actions. it is funny to look at how God works in such creative ways like that. anyways working with those boys showed me how much my passion is to work with special needs and how that is my calling.
this last semester was rough i am not going to lie. it is funny how i started this blog around this semester because this is the semester i have had so many issues fighting for my rights as a disabled person. it felt like one hit after another was about something with my disability. but now that i look back i realized that going through all of that has made me such a stronger person. i can talk so openly about my disability then i ever have before. my disability is not my identity but it is apart of me and i can sit here and say that i accept that. just writing about having a disability is a big thing that i am proud of myself for.
overall, this year was in fact a struggle but a midst that struggle i can find joy. because the beauty of struggling is how much stronger you are in the end. that is one thing the Lord has taught me throughout my life of having a disability is that through every circumstance the Lord is always there helping me become the person i am today.
i can honestly sit here and say that i am so beyond blessed be my friends and family and even you who read this blog. for they constantly are by my side supporting, challenging, laughing, caring, helping me through every day. i can sit here with a smile on my face and think of so many things i am blessed with. God is great and i am so excited to see what He has in store for me in this next year as i will be graduating, trying to find a job, getting my credential and figuring out what i am doing with the amazing God-given life. Happy New Year Everyone!!
looking back at the beginning of this year i struggled a lot with transitioning back from South Africa. I definitely had reverse culture shock to say the least. it was overwhelming coming back to people i love and wanting to talk so much about Africa and them not really understanding (which is not at all their fault). i missed the carefree nature of being in Africa and the fact that people did not judge me but instead everywhere i went i felt comfortable and accepted because in Africa they do not care about the outside. they just care about the inside. i missed being with my family (of 50 people) and waking up everyday to see there faces. but i feel like wherever you go you leave part of your heart there for i definitely did that with Africa for there is not a day that goes by where i do not think about that country, the people, and the kids i got to know so well. don't get me wrong the beginning was also amazing where i got to live with 2 girls i experienced africa with and we bonded through our missing africa and setting up reunions all the time with our group. i learned what it is like to go through a drastic change and how to rely on God to help me get through the rough patches.
then moving on to summertime. at the beginning i was thinking it was going to be your typical boring summer but it ended up being better than i thought. i took summer school (bio and senior sem) and got to learn a lot and make new friendships with the people in my classes. i also got the wonderful opportunity to work with special needs kids at my church every sunday. i worked with 2 autistic boys and oh how they grab my heart. yes they are nonverbal but kids like them shows you things in their actions. which just now thinking about it brings me back to when i worked with the kids in africa. even though we could not communicate with them we communicated through our actions. it is funny to look at how God works in such creative ways like that. anyways working with those boys showed me how much my passion is to work with special needs and how that is my calling.
this last semester was rough i am not going to lie. it is funny how i started this blog around this semester because this is the semester i have had so many issues fighting for my rights as a disabled person. it felt like one hit after another was about something with my disability. but now that i look back i realized that going through all of that has made me such a stronger person. i can talk so openly about my disability then i ever have before. my disability is not my identity but it is apart of me and i can sit here and say that i accept that. just writing about having a disability is a big thing that i am proud of myself for.
overall, this year was in fact a struggle but a midst that struggle i can find joy. because the beauty of struggling is how much stronger you are in the end. that is one thing the Lord has taught me throughout my life of having a disability is that through every circumstance the Lord is always there helping me become the person i am today.
i can honestly sit here and say that i am so beyond blessed be my friends and family and even you who read this blog. for they constantly are by my side supporting, challenging, laughing, caring, helping me through every day. i can sit here with a smile on my face and think of so many things i am blessed with. God is great and i am so excited to see what He has in store for me in this next year as i will be graduating, trying to find a job, getting my credential and figuring out what i am doing with the amazing God-given life. Happy New Year Everyone!!
Comments
Post a Comment