Hope Does Not Disapoint- Romans 5:5

It's hard to believe my time here is almost done to a week.

Not only is it hard to believe, but it does not seem possible.  I remember so vividly writing my first entries prior to even departing for this adventure and now it is coming to an end.  As difficult as this is and the fact that it is so much harder than I ever imagined I am so thankful because everything I hoped would happen here has occured. 

So much more than I ever could have hoped for has happened to me during my time here.  I never envisioned I find so many deep relationships with the people in my group and that I have met, that I would be so adventourous and crazy, that I would find such compassion and passion from myself and those around me, that I would live in the moment so often, that I would experience so few difficulties and embrace the hard times in such a great way, that I would grow so much, that I would fall so much further in love with my Catholic faith, that I would find a deeper bound with my family, that I would apprecaite myself so much and gain a great confidence in who I am... and the list goes on!

Even in my most difficult times South Africa has never disapointed me...as much as I would like to believe and tell everyone that it is strictly this beautiful country that has fullfilled all my hopes I know it's something more.  I know I've learned the real meaning of the verse "hope does not disapoint" because the reason I know this now and trust in with my whole heart is because the hope I have comes from Christ and I know He will not and cannot disapoint me.  It's because of the great recognition of him in my life, myself, and others that I have not found been disapointed here.  I mean sure there may have been times when I've said something or other was disapointing but just petty things... I've always loved the word "hope" but now it holds an even greater meaning for me and allows me to be able to accept coming home because truthfully I'm really not ready to leave but know that I never would be.  I love it here, how could I not?

But I need to go home to my family I love tremendously and all of my friends and I need to share this experience because I know it will continue to grow me even once I'm home and that is so exciting for me to think about!

But while I'm still here I want to write one more tidbit about all I've encountered because I truly feel as though I've gotten a good glimpse of this beauitful and totally bizzare country....

Jumping off bridges and out of airplanes, experiencing a mugging first hand, holding a child fighting HIV, dancing with Afrikaners at a bar, singing in Xhosa, driving to lethoso and through Swaziland, Zulu dancing, teaching English and mathamatics, using Rand, driving on the opposite side of the road, ordering my first drink, eating ostrich and springbok, walking everywhere, taxing in kombis, learning traditional druming, riding a lion and seeing every wild African animal imaginable, going to a township bar, comforting a clinically depressed child, headaches from constant laughing, going caving, barganing at markets, praying the rosary, running a 10k, cheering at an ironman, laying out on the roof, running on the ocean, seeing live jazz, going to an Elton John concert, dancing in the rain, laying on the beach, vacationing with my parents, writing 4000 word essays, coordinating pot lucks, getting up for sunrise, traveling to township schools, riding in the back of bakkis, racing to the top of a mountain, seeing the way of the cross at Robben Island, traveling to the Southern most tip of Africa, learning about aparhtied, going to an Anglican Easter service, recognizing the importance of literature, swimming in the Indian Ocean, braiis by the fire, singing along to the guitar, mountaing biking through a game park, playing trash smash and learning to tackle, doing yoga barefoot on the roof, never straightening my hair, killing coackroaches in our flat, enjoying washed dishes and a made bed each day, late night McDonalds runs, new kinds of candy, making dinner for 900 people, presenting a donation to an AIDS Haven, making friends that will last a lifetime, learning to be grateful constantly, becoming the woman I'm meant to be, learning to love myself, apprecaiting my family more than ever, living for the love of something happening now, knowing that hope does not disapoint.