Losing your luggage can be quite terrifying. Add not speaking the language and living there for the next four months, you feel like screaming as if your right big toe was just sliced off with a kitchen knife.
When I arrived in Romania the content of my backpack included:
- Many chargers. But of course I packed the adapters for them in my suitcase (smart move Morgs).
- Gum and mints (these took place of my toothbrush for a couple of days until we were able to make it to the store) (I apologize for the squirming you just experienced when reading that).
- Laptop (didn't do me much good without an adapter).
- Medication (thank goodness I thought this one through).
- My rings (someone please slap me for this one).
- An extra t-shirt (wahooo I own 2 shirts now).
- Scriptures (my saving grace) (you are quickly humbled as you read about Lehi and his family leaving everything of value behind to travel into the wilderness as they put all their trust in the lord).
Yup. That's it. And guess what I realized?? I'm NOT Queen Elizabeth. I don't necessarily need hair oils, my favorite lotions, and all my "clothes I couldn't live without", etc. Now don't get me wrong... I'm praying every hour our luggage will show up, and we have had to make multiple trips to the store. But.. I have learned an extremely valuable lesson. You do not find joy in material things. Happiness, knowledge, and experience are determined by YOU. No one or nothing can better your life but you. You get to decide every morning "what side of the bed you are going to wake up on". You get to decide that the fried cabbage roll, with soggy pork, rice, and other secrets ingredients inside, served with mushy corn meal, is probably not going to kill you, and you can always get gelato later. You have to understand that the lady screaming at you in Romanian probably had a bad day and means no harm. Either that or she is singing and you don't know the difference. You learn to accept that where you are is nothing like home, and everyday you are going to be stretched and tested. And finally, you are going to learn to LOVE YOUR LIFE and everyone in it.
I'm still not sure how I've been so blessed my whole life. Everyday I wake up here, grateful for something new. Quite honestly, I am starting to get nervous that when I begin working with the orphaned kids, and abandoned children at the hospital, I am going to feel so selfish and overly privileged.
As I've thought about it, and worried about my soul (haha Okay maybe not my soul, more like my actions), I realized this is where balance comes into play. Materials aren't "evil". We are not evil because we have more or less than others. This seems like an odd thing to talk about, but I feel it is extremely important to understand. I firmly believe we do not need to give our entire life savings to a charity and live in a rundown apartment the rest of our lives. I think we become selfish and greedy when we are not willing to be an example and share the light we have found in our lives. Our lives can be dedicated to service, without giving away everything we have. I'm still trying to figure this one out, I'm sure most of us are. But I do know that if you are willing, the necessary "amount" of service will be placed right in front of you.
This summer my "amount" involved leaving my family and friends, to give children an idea of how much they are loved and wanted. This is not always the case. I hope I can learn to act on these promptings of service throughout my life. Whether it is a hug, or a flight across the world, it is of the same value to our gracious Heavenly Father and Savior.
I hope all is well at home!
My lovely roommates.
Beautiful palace we have the privilege of living right next too.
Morgan
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