Shannon Holden Photography

Wow, what a week. I seriously underestimated the effects of jet lag. Adding that to the emotions of my trip, and I was physically and emotionally drained last week. Thanks to my amazingly patient husband and kids, hours and hours of sleep, and some incredibly dear friends, I have felt better day by day in the last week.

I asked my friend Melissa if I could share the email she sent me. It came at just the right moment last week and helped me tremendously in processing the feelings I had after coming home.

Hi dear friend,
I’ve never come home from Africa, from the level of poverty that you witnessed.  But I’ve come home after living away from this place for months or a year somewhere completely different, and it was never easy.  When I moved home for the last time, in 2007 just before Randy and I got married, I sometimes thought my heart was going to break.  I was running around registering for expensive wedding gifts, and while I absolutely knew that this was where God wanted me and where I wanted to be, HERE just felt so very foolish to me sometimes.

My little coping strategy made everyone laugh, but it was serious to me.  I marveled at how quickly I could do laundry here, and would say, “God bless America!”  I was overwhelmed by the choices of just where we could eat for dinner – “God bless America!”  I had to keep repeating this to myself and out loud, to remind myself that there were many things here that were easier – sure – and that I now lived in a place with very fertile soil, literally and figuratively.  I had to tell myself many times that this place was not better or worse, that the OTHER place wasn’t better or worse – just very, very different.

I don’t know why God picked me to be born here, to my parents, and some other girl to be born in eastern Europe.  That puzzled me for a while.  But I came to realize that God’s grace is all over – a great “fairness” leveler.  A sweet layer of God’s grace was spread all over the orphans you met, through you and others at Wiphan.  He has allowed you to see his grace in action somewhere else, and it has broken your heart.  That’s AWESOME.  And you got to be a part of it!  His grace is in action right here, too – not through our wealth (don’t you wonder just a little if our wealth is truly a blessing after what you’ve seen?), but through each other.  Just like in Africa.  And you’re a part of that HERE more than you can imagine.

I received another email during my trip that brought tears to my eyes. It is from a very sweet client and friend, who also gave me permission to share it here …

Just wanted to let you know that I am thinking about you and following your blog.  The girls are following it with me and have been very touched by all of the pictures.  As you might imagine (since I am certain you will be answering the same ones for your daughter), they are asking a zillion questions.  The picture of Fostina’s house really shocked them with the blanket to sleep on the floor, and we talked for about an hour afterwards about how so many children aren’t lucky like they are (why doesn’t she have a bed, mommy?  why is her house dirty?  why doesn’t it have a potty?  where is her mommy?).

In honor of your experience and because you have moved us and the girls so deeply with your words and your pictures, we would like to sponsor a Wiphan child.  So, if you happen to come across any in your travels who touch you and are in need of a sponsor, please let me know.  I would absolutely love to find a child for us to sponsor that you have actually met and hugged for us so that you can tell the girls about him or her and where s/he lives.

Both of these emails, and others I received offering prayers and encouragement, made my experience in Africa even more meaningful. It helped me realize that I wasn’t just traveling with the 9 people on the team, but with hundreds of friends who were invested in my time there, invested in the lives of those I met through their prayers and support. I am so blessed to be united with loving hearts like these, who traveled with me in spirit, and who care as I do to share their abundant blessings and make a difference for someone less fortunate. Thank you all.

If you would like to sponsor a Wiphan child, please click here.

I’m going back today and adding images to my posts from abroad, where my computer troubles and sporadic internet access got in the way of sharing the photographs along the way. I hope you will go back and see some of the beautiful faces I had the pleasure to see.

I’m also wrapping up a slideshow from my journey. I’ll be posting that here as soon as it is ready!

Much love,
Shannon