For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also. [matthew 6:21]
But what if your treasures are scattered from West Virginia all the way down to Central America?
Sitting here in the Panama City airport “enjoying” an extremely long layover. As I am literally in the transition between Guatemala and USA, it so deeply resonates with how I feel- a heart being stuck in between two places that aren’t exactly right beside each other.
I am not sure why I feel so neither here nor there today. I think part of it is because we haven’t been stateside in over 6 months… and I am so so so very excited to see my nieces and nephews- to hug their necks, swing them through the air, and call them funny names. I am so excited to see my parents, grandparents, my brothers, my inlaws, our friends. I’m excited to crush a pepperoni roll from Brandywine Fox’s and eat Split Banana. Oh, American food, I’ve missed you so!
But it’s a little weird. I am not sure my brain can process the way that time has surely moved on in the past six months without me there. The kids will be bigger, Roster will have more little gray hairs on his chin, things have changed and we’ve been away. But what has been happening in our world, on our end of things has been so impacting and significant. I have seen real life miracles of healing happening weekly in the hospital. Toddlers unable to sit or stand are now walking with assistance. Severe health problems being cured and healed through the diligence of our wonderful doctors. Babies who once had no name growing, thriving, and receiving love daily. I’m not sure how it’s possible to step out of my new normal and go back to the states without feeling some rush of emotionalism.
Yesterday was my birthday and I received the most beautiful messages and texts from family and friends across the globe. As I take a moment today to pause and read some of them, I realize how blessed I have been to know such wonderful people in this life. Guatemalans who have welcomed me with patient tongues and open arms as I work beside them, and my USA people who have shown me love even though I’m thousands of miles away. I got a little teary eyed with some of the texts I received, but I gotta pull it together as I’m definitely sitting in a very public spot right now.
So this layover life. All of me never being completely here nor there. It makes me think a lot of thoughts, feel a lot of feels… and it probably shouldn’t be this difficult. But of this I am certain- how blessed I’ve been to have things and people that make coming and going so hard. Until August, Guatemala. Be good to my hospital babies. <3
You are so loved,
Whitney
