it's good to be "home"

So here I am, back in wonderful Masr (Egypt) with my beautiful friends and "family".

I haven't been back since March, and boy does it feel good. With each return, I find more and more that my heart has a spot entirely devoted to Egypt and the Middle East.

I love being back at the clinic and with the girls. I love the warm weather. I love the precious time with my friends, and all the laughs, the adventures, the memories we relive.

I love riding the CRAZY metro system here. Thank God for the all-female cars!! I love observing the people and their culture. I love trying to improve my ajnabeya arabic, and wandering downtown. I even love hearing the loud call-to-prayer every few hours...subtle constant reminder of why I am here.

I am constantly humbled by the situations and the people around me. Sometimes I feel like I am here to help people, I am here to impart knowledge, or to serve in whatever capacity i can. And of course, I am. However more often than not, I feel like they are teaching me. I am learning what it means to be content. What it means to be stretched. What it means to be patient. What it means to be selfless and how to give of myself. I am learning what it truly means to show Love to people. It can be so difficult here in this culture to have patience and to really have a genuine compassionate heart. In my flesh, I get frustrated and tired and discouraged. But I am thankful for these lessons. I am blessed to be in the company of these people. I am a better person because of them.

When I am here, I feel alive :)