Homesickness

For the last 4 months, I have felt true homesickness. Paul talks about being homesick for his loved ones in places such as his letter to the elect lady in 2 John 12; “Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.” With the holidays approaching, I have been longing a little more for my hometown, my physical house, and especially the people in it. Despite that, I wouldn’t change my circumstances for anything. With only 2 weeks left living in enchanting Craiova, I thought it was the perfect time to write about what I have and haven’t been missing in the States, and what I will miss when I leave.  

Things I Miss From Home: 

My family: This is a given.  I miss the little things and the big things. From decorating the Christmas tree to family dinners, to dates with my dad, to picking my brother up from work, to me and my mom’s deep conversations, to game nights with my siblings. 

My friends: This is another given. I miss my friends a lot and get happy any time the 8 hour time difference allows us to call. This has been bittersweet because while I miss my old friends, I am getting closer to my new friends. I am so thankful for the number of people God has put in my life who continually touch my heart, even from afar. 

Driving: This seems silly but I did not realize how much I was going to miss being able to drive. Not only the freedom associated with it,  but the therapy driving to no particular destination can be for me. I miss my worship sessions on the highway and my Taylor Swift cry night drives with my friends. 

Variety of clothing: Wearing the same clothes every day can get tiring. I enjoy clothing and feeling good about what I wear, so my creativity can get a little bored without the variety of clothing I have at home. 

Personal space/Privacy: This one I was definitely not expecting to miss. I am not one for “alone time”, but being here has taught me even the extreme extraverts need some privacy at some point. I absolutely love living with 26 of my best friends, I feel like I am living a dream, but at the same time, I can miss the comfort of my own company to process and think alone. 

Things I am Going To Miss From Romania: 

The architecture: I am going to miss walking down the stone streets looking at the beautiful, old European buildings. I feel like I am in a Hallmark movie and I can certainly say that I do not miss the city buildings in America. 

The slow pace of life: I was shocked at how willing the people are here to just stop and talk to us on the street. There is a slowness about Romania that I am going to miss when I get hit with the fast pace of American society. 

The mission house: I absolutely love the house we are living in. It is the sweetest thing to be able to live in a room with my team. The kitchen is so cozy and the balconies make for the best reading sessions. 

Going to Roma communities: My favorite ministry is going to the Roma villages. Giving Christmas gifts and food to children in poverty is heartbreaking but so rewarding. Seeing their attitudes and smiles despite their living conditions really convicts me of my attitude about irrelevant problems. 

Our host family: We have gotten to love Raul, his wife Ana, and their kids Jonathan and Sammy. They have loved us so well. I have learned so much from seeing the way Raul and Ana do ministry everywhere they go and their passion. 

In the midst of homesickness, I pray that God would keep my mind focused on where my feet are, while my heart continues to beat for where they are going. I am so thankful to have many homes that make saying goodbye so hard.