goodbye

Goodbyes. They’re the worst. I think that when I signed up for the race, I definitely didn’t know that saying goodbye would be this difficult. To be fair, I also didn’t understand how attached I would get to the people at my ministry sites. When we got to our first ministry in Ecuador, El Refugio, I could’ve sworn to you then and there that I was just there to serve and be the Lord’s vessel in the place where I was at. Funny enough, being the Lord’s vessel also means getting to feel His love through those you encounter and loving them just the same. 

I met some incredible people who have solidified a place in my heart for the rest of my life. 

To those of you who impacted me so tremendously, here is what I learned from you…

Bethany. She taught me to be confident in my identity and to not rely on others to understand my worth. She taught me that there is ultimate beauty in the human being you are on the inside and she truly is the epitome of that. She also taught me what being the ultimate domestic 19 year old looks like and she killed it.

Elliot. He taught me that life will always be chaotic, but who you choose to be in the midst of the chaos is everything. He taught me that it’s okay to have fun and it’s also okay to not be okay. Oh, and he also taught me that it’s okay to lose at 20 games of speed in a row, especially when I didn’t want to start a tournament at 9pm (iykyk). It’s not the end of the world. He was a pretty dope girl dad.

Brad (aka Luis). He taught me what the King of sarcasm looks like in the country of Ecuador. He taught me what love looks like for a random group of 13 girls he only knew for 5 weeks. He taught me what being confident in your Latin roots looks like and I’ll never meet anyone like him again. Oh he also taught me that he makes chapstick in case you were wondering.

Jimmy (aka Benji). He taught me to be free. He taught what it looks like to serve others to their heart’s content without even knowing them that well. He taught me what it looks like to love like Jesus and seek adventure in the way it’s meant to be sought out. He also was fearless when speaking his minimal Portuguese that he was never afraid to mess up in. He was awesome.

The men. Enrique. Aurelio. Jorge. Holger. 4 incredible men with work ethics I’ve never seen before. They taught me to always appreciate the work that people do, major or minor. They taught me that work isn’t meant to be dreadful but that it’s supposed to be enjoyable. They taught me that laughing is the best medicine and with that being said, they had incredible senses of humor. They truly left a lasting memory on me that will remain with me forever. 

Leaving them was somehow one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do. That day left me in complete tears but that day it became evident to me that this is exactly what the Lord had in store for us when He placed us at El Refugio for those 5 weeks. 

Farewell El Refugio and the incredible people who entered my life there. Until we meet again.

-Fatima