I was told that being a student missionary changes you. Honestly, I'm not sure if I'm different. I don't feel terribly different. I don't look different, aside from the scars from mosquito bites that I refused to quit itching, the tan and freckles I got from the tremendous amount of sun I got all year long, and my long hair that is begging and pleading to be cut (and I definitely didn't get any taller while I was away.....). I've been tempted to believe that I haven't changed, but I'm not convinced that's possible. I'm sure I must have learned more or changed more than I realize right now, but I am unable to identify exactly how. But these are a few of the things that I did learn in Africa:
NEVER underestimate the power of a friendly greeting.
Happiness is found in helping others. Every. Single. Time.
When someone says hello, stop and talk. Don’t brush it off. Take the time to give the person your full attention. Value them.
“Maybe next time” is a much better response than “no” to somebody who is trying to sell you something. Hope is something that everybody needs.
It’s classic. It’s simple. I’ve heard it all my life. It seems that more often than not, I don’t think about it and realize what it really means - I know I don’t always reflect this philosophy in my life. But as I’ve interacted with different people and observed different situations, I’ve come to realize that it holds way more value and importance than I’ve given it credit for. I could go more in depth about situations where I recognized the lack of this principle and it’s useful potential, but that would just be redundant. Following this golden rule in life has endless possibilities. It is so helpful is so many situations. Watching people not use it or use it has caused me to think twice about making a conscious effort to incorporate it into my daily life.
God is so good, and this past year has shown me that in many ways. Being a student missionary was a life-changing experience for me, and I’m so glad God worked it all out for me to go.