When have I felt it was important for me to be here?
This was the opening question for our final seminar... and I had no answer, no story to tell at the time. I bided my time as much as I could until I was the last one to share a story. As Kristy urged me to share something, I shared the story of how Alen had been so interested in my work... and how the numbers of Hungarians NOT wanting to do volunteer work with gypsies had surprised me.
But, it stirred something in me. I can be so negative toward the year and can be rather quick to point out times when I was unhappy, or things that could/should/would have gone better, or even times when I disappointed even myself. But to take a moment and think of when it was important for me to be here... that's something I haven't done much of.
-English classes
Sadly, this was an endeavor that I only started to embark on later in the year. However, being one of the few native English volunteers hosted with ODE in Budapest, it wasn't just something that I felt I SHOULD do, it became the only thing that I wanted to do each week. I found myself looking forward to my lessons and the thought of ending them was something that came rather sadly to me.
-St. Columba's
I really wish that I could have given my heart and soul to this congregation as I have with my home congregation in Michigan. However, between travels and work and illness, my attendance to Sunday morning services has been sparse in the last couple months. Unfortunately, we were still unsuccessful in getting a youth group off the ground, but I did make some contacts with some teens and hopefully the few moments we spent together were still moments of great impact.
-office
Again, as one of the few native English speakers in Budapest, there was something that I was asked to do that was something that started as an "I SHOULD do" but became something I looked forward to doing. I had the unique honor of inviting all the incoming volunteers that aren't native Hungarian speakers to their placements for next year. I also got to help with some of the interviews and the processes involved in hosting and sending volunteers. It was a great chance to see the innerworkings of such an organization. It was also nice because what took me 5 minutes to write would have taken anyone else in the office 30 minutes (at least) because of the non-native translation struggle, so it helped in making me feel needed.
-flat
As much as I don't ever want to admit what I'm about to admit, I will. I enjoyed feeling needed in the flat. This was the first time Silke and Silvia had really LIVED away from home. This is the first time they were responsible for things like making sure that there's always some toilet paper or clean dishes. Also, they both had/have to take English exams before going to university and by practicing with me, they're going to totally ACE them :) w00t!
-letting go and holding on
It was important for me to be here, because it was important for me to learn how to do this. Life is a balance of doing both these things. However, even as I may have faltered in doing these things along the way, I also know that I matured in this matter.
-personal
It was important for me to grow in personal ways. For me to be here, I was further removed from people/lifestyle choices/surroundings that inhibited my previous opportunities for growth... and enabled through the circumstances of the year. This will probably even be revealed more as I get back to the states. I just pray that I don't easily fall away from the strength I've found in the last year.
-hospitality
I have discovered a new spiritual gift. As I actually said in the Tuesday morning chat which brought up the question, "I had a really hard time finding a place this year, so I set out to make sure that others could find a place." I LOVED opening my apartment, my life, my time, my expertise and anything else I could offer to those who were stopping in Budapest for a night or a week. Other volunteers or Couchsurfers or friends of friends... it didn't matter. The joy of re-experiencing Budapest through them renewed my love of the city each time. I don't think I could ever grow tired of washing sheets or making sack lunches for travelers and I have realized that this enjoyment can sooo be used to further the Kingdom.
-tea lady
Sometimes if things aren't currently affecting me, I tend to forget until someone brings them up. This was the case on Tuesday morning, until a fellow volunteer helped me to remember this moment in the year. I want to preface this with a statement: I am a coffee drinker, NOT a tea drinker. I never drank much tea before coming here. However, one cold winter day at the Tanoda, the boys asked me if I could make a tea. I start to go get one of the other teachers and realize quickly that it would be silly for me to do that when I could just make it myself. So Krisztian, one of the boys, follows me into the kitchen and tells me to boil water, take 2 tea bags, a LOT of sugar and a little lemon and put it into the pitcher. I do all this and make the tea. When it's finished, I bring it to the boys who exclaim with sincere smiles that it's the BEST TEA they've ever had and that from now on, I need to make the tea for the Tanoda. This is how I became known as the "Tea Lady."
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I'm leaving one blank because you never know what might come up later as somewhere I found importance in retrospect... but I'm already amazed at how long the list is now. Looking back with a quick glance, I don't see these things at all. It was so good to reflect on them :)
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