I just got home yesterday after a lot of flying.  Thank God for keeping me safe and that I didn't lose any bags or anything.

The trip ended pretty well.  On my last couple days we drove to Pemba which is the capital of Cabo Delgado.  This was where we were going to fly out, but we got there a few days early to have fun.  I got really sick for a couple of those days, so that hurt the fun.  But fortunately, I got better in time to swim in the Indian Ocean and debrief with the missionaries and other interns about how the whole trip went.  And overall, it went extremely well.  I'm glad to be home, but I can't tell you how great these last 6 weeks have been in Mozambique.  Hopefully, I'll never be the same.

Backing up a little bit.  Our last weekend in Montepuez we hosted a Leadership Retreat at the Smith's house. All the leaders from village churches I had met throughout the internship came for this weekend.  The theme was serving together as leaders. They said this was a very important topic for these people to hear.  These people really want to have authority over each other, and they often abuse power if they have it.  And this is a problem even for these men that are leaders in the church.  So it's tough to hear Jesus say, "For he who is least among you all - he is the greatest."  I thought it was a very powerful weekend.  I remember sitting in that circle of 12 or so men thinking, "These guys are good guys.  They are going to do great things for God."

Hopefully, you've noticed I have a hard time knowing what to write sometimes.  It's difficult to put six weeks in a couple letters.  I think I'm going to copy a part of my last journal entry for you:

"Yesterday, we got on a plane and waved goodbye to our... family in a lot of ways.  They are my Mozambique family.  It was really hard saying bye.  I know I'll see them again either furlough or heaven, but I just felt really close to them these past 6 weeks.  I will miss them very much.  I could try and bring the whole experience to one climactic finish in this journal entry, but I'm quite sure words would fall short.  And any attempt at a conclusion would seem odd since what I'm learning seems far from over.  I'm learning about myself, about how to get along with people, how to fully depend on God, and those kinds of lessons don't get mastered.  

Even so, I am ending the internship chapter in my life for now, and it's sad.  I hope my prayers continue and that Mozambique stays in my heart.  I want a lot of things to stay in my heart.  I want the Smiths and Howells to stay, and I want the Talbotts in Marupa to stay, and I want the Holtons and Caldwells and Lucky to stay.  I want Rajabo, and Albino, and Alshandre, and Amarde, and Floristo, and Mario, and Africa, and Alberto, and Fernando, and Fanito, and Nelson, and Candida, and Maria, and Ali, and China, and Daju, and all those people to stay.  Those people are the reason I went."

Anyway, I want to thank everybody again for praying for me.  I hope God's been teaching and stretching you this summer like He has me.  And if I see you soon, I'd love to talk more if you want to.  I'm realizing it's a lot easier than typing.