I've been here for three weeks now. Not gonna lie, it's been a very different summer. It's also been a really good one. Normally Kaylie and I are completely inseparable during the summer. If you find her, you find me. This year, we're still best friends, but we're realizing that we can have other friendships. I've made a lot of new friends this year and deepened some old friendships.
God really convicted me last week that I need to learn to love. I mean, I love my friends and my family; but when it comes to loving those who are different than me, I have a long way to go. During my "Jared talk" [:)] I was told that if I want to learn to love someone, I need to pray for them. It really works, too. (Imagine that!) I've been praying for those who I have trouble loving, and I find my heart changing towards them.
This has been a summer of hearing the voice of God, of learning His will, of obedience. It's been a summer of deeper friendships, long embraces, of tears. It's been a summer of multiple "counselor talks," of finally being in Blythe's cabin, of forced mouse abortions (remind me to tell you that story.) It's been a summer of being built up and torn down, of gaining and losing, of laughing and loving. It's been a summer to remember, and I'm so glad that it's not over yet.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
A Quick Tournaround
I'm back from Peru. It was an incredibly amazing experience. I made so many new friends, and my life was changed in so many ways.
The biggest thing I learned while we were there was that love has no language barrier. I was barely able to communicate with most of the ladies from the church we worked with, and most of the kids from the villages, but I could see the love in their eyes.
I also learned that we place way too much value on material possessions. The people of Pucallpa are incredibly poor by the world's standards, but they are so richly blessed with faith, family, and love. They lack nothing, and aren't unhappy with what they have. We always want more, and they are always giving.
Now I'm headed up north until the middle of August. It's an incredibly quick turnaround to go from Peru to camp, and at some point everything will probably overwhelm me. I'm so sad to be gone from Peru, but that is currently being overshadowed by the happiness of going to camp. I'm sure that the end of this summer will be harder than most.
If you want to write to me while I'm at camp, here's the address.
I love getting letters :)
Alyssa Hobson
c/o Hiawatha Youth Camp
Piatt Lake
Eckerman, MI 49728
The biggest thing I learned while we were there was that love has no language barrier. I was barely able to communicate with most of the ladies from the church we worked with, and most of the kids from the villages, but I could see the love in their eyes.
I also learned that we place way too much value on material possessions. The people of Pucallpa are incredibly poor by the world's standards, but they are so richly blessed with faith, family, and love. They lack nothing, and aren't unhappy with what they have. We always want more, and they are always giving.
Now I'm headed up north until the middle of August. It's an incredibly quick turnaround to go from Peru to camp, and at some point everything will probably overwhelm me. I'm so sad to be gone from Peru, but that is currently being overshadowed by the happiness of going to camp. I'm sure that the end of this summer will be harder than most.
If you want to write to me while I'm at camp, here's the address.
I love getting letters :)
Alyssa Hobson
c/o Hiawatha Youth Camp
Piatt Lake
Eckerman, MI 49728
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