Most memorable time of my life

I never really blogged too much while I was in Kenya, not really sure if it was because I was 'soaking in all I was seeing' or just my lack of time. I'm not sure why I am even blogging now, it's been about a month since returning and I still feel extremely affected by it. Going to Kenya was a missions trip, a trip where obviously I signed up for thinking, "This will make me grow so much closer to God". And it did... It did so much that I've never felt more in tune to how sick and poor most of this world is. It's very easy to go to church every Sunday and look at pictures of slums and African children walking around. But actually going there is absolutely and positively a life changing experience. Seeing these kids and making full eye contact is unexplainable. Seeing the despair and the hopelessness is just heart breaking and not the kind where you feel sad for a little while, but the kind that fills your heart with the drive to do something; the drive to do something different and fix these problems. Going to Africa was literally the best decision I could have ever made and I will never regret it.

Now that I find myself back in 'real' life I find I am still heart broken. Heart broken by those who we left in Kenya, and those who sit next to me in class as they presently have absolutely no clue about what Africa 'is'. Going to Africa has definitely taught me a lot about who I am, about what I need to do as a Christ follower. Before this trip I would pass friends and tell myself that I shouldn't push my religion onto others, When I was completely wrong. It is not only something that matters but it is the ONLY thing that matters. It makes me think about hard comparison questions like, "If I could guarantee that one of my non-christian friends would become Christian but I had to give up something like College would I?" It's the hard questions like these that make me realize that my faith needs to be number 1, the absolute priority in my life.

On this trip I met an amazing group of people. We all got along and bonded quickly. As our trip came to a close I found myself very saddened by not seeing the rest of the group on a scheduled basis. Just last week we had a follow up meeting, and it was really great to see everyone. My heart felt heavy and I remembered how great it was to be around all of them. As we all go our separate ways I find myself missing each and everyone of the Kenya 2010 team. If I could I would go back in time and relive those 16 days over and over.


If I am blessed to be given the opportunity to go back to Africa I will, but that is up to God. Currently as I attend school and nestle back in my 'normal' life I would give anything to be back in the slums tommorrow morning. I want so much for my mind to be in the same place it was when we first stepped into those slums. I want so much to be in those slums because while I was there I felt the most alive I've ever felt. All of those happy kids and those horrible smells were some of the elements that created one of my most valuable memories. I want to be a light in a dark place and spread God's love. I know that this dark place does not have to be somewhere like Africa. It can be as simple as my school. Returning from Kenya HAS changed me and I need people to see that. This upcoming year my goal is to have people know I am a Christian without me even saying anything. When I meet God at the gates of Heaven I want to be able to tell him, "I was never ashamed of being a Christian and I did everything I could"


I left my heart in Africa, and I don't think I'll ever get it back.

Shawn Terasaki