I’m in Texas! Now what? How do I fill my time while I’m visiting for a few weeks?
There is so much that goes on during my visit to Texas that I am constantly updating and studying my calendar. Here are the main things I focus on during my visit home.
- Representation
The bulk part of my time while in Texas is dedicated to ministry representation. I have meetings with pastors and churches. I give interviews in front of congregations and hold missions luncheons where I can share about my passion and love for Chivoc. I send out gifts to far away supporters and respond to dozens of emails to people far and near. It’s a lot of work but very rewarding.
2. Health Check
While health care is somewhat available in Guatemala, I prefer to take advantage of my time in the States to do a quick check up. I always make a dentist and doctor’s appointment while in the States where the waiting is less than an hour, the process is clean and professional, and they file my insurance for me. These offices are close and the pharmacies are efficient. If I haven’t felt culture shock in my house, I definitely do while dealing with the luxuries of American physicians and dentists.
3. Friends
A big blessing of visiting Texas is catching up with friends that I haven’t seen for years. I love coming back to my home church to see how the children have grown throughout the year, to hear of weddings and pregnancies, and to celebrate with others about the joys of life. It’s hard to keep relationships alive when I live in a different world but I so appreciate and am blessed by those who love on me during my short visit to the states. My days are full of lunches or activities with friends and I’m constantly bugging people to try and schedule a short visit.
4. Family
What I most look forward to during my visit is time with my family. The rare moments when we can be all together under one roof. We catch up on each other’s lives then pour into each other with love and service. I am so blessed by my family as they are patient with my weird moods sometimes caused by culture adjustments and show me abundant grace.
5. Myself
When I take these few weeks off to come back to the states, I know I need to recharge. It is sometimes difficult amongst the busyness of meeting up with people and wanting to catch up with friends but I try to focus on here and now. Enjoying my time. Enjoying my rest. I close my eyes and breathe, capturing moments in my memory to take back with me. The sound of my mom in the kitchen. The warmth of hugging my dad. The laughter of my siblings. The taste of Chick-fil-a. These moments need to last me for a while. So, I want to make them last.
Read Part 1- Before and Part 3- After!
