I'm at it again, friends.
I'm a little slow at getting the word out on here- in February I will be returning to Argentina!
To recap,last fall I spent 4 months in Buenos Aires with the organization Word Made Flesh working among vulnerable persons who make their living on the streets. My experience those four months was unprecedented. It is unmistakable that those four months have shaped me for the rest of my life.
As I am preparing for the return it feels odd to prepare for an expedition that I can anticipate to be familiar and yet at the same time so different. The seasons will be different- summer turning into fall. The language will present the same challenge and beauty as it did before. The colectivos/ buses will be just as inconsistent. The subtes/subways packed yet even more stuffy due to the summer heat and humidity. I will interact with many of the same people but some are missing and the absence will be... strange.
It is in fact some of the familiars that bring me slight anxiety.
But more than these anxieties, I could do a back flip thinking about reuniting to dear friends, sharing a mate gourd, deepening in community, and continuing friendships that have clung to my heart strings.
It has been a real challenge mentally preparing for this new excursion. I feel the need to block out any expectations based on my last stay in B.A and that's been really challenging. I am so desperate for God to reveal His intentions in this upcoming experience, but He is calling me to step out in faith. Once again I'm face to face with my Maker and He's saying "trust Me" and as my head drifts from His gaze to stare at my feet I mumble a barely audible "OK."
But He gently lifts my head and holds my gaze.
And I will hold His gaze and place my hand over His heart to feel the beat between my fingers.
