Journey: Final Thoughts

In this, my final blog post, I will try to bring together my thoughts to sum up the entire JOURNEY experience. You may remember I posted a video in my first post. Having watched it again after visiting Sri Lanka and seeing the Salvation Army's work with my own eyes the video really moves me as I now know first hand the massive difference The Salvation Army has made to so many lives – as the village elder states in the video, "The place is unrecognisable (from just after the Tsunami)". (The first of two videos showing the SA's initial response to the 2004 Tsunami can be found here if you are interested - length 10 minutes).

The video is posted again below, and shows the communities the Salvation Army works with, particularly around the Hikkaduwa region where we stayed for a number of days. Our team visited the bakery and the community centers, seeing women's and children's groups, and after talking to several of the residents in the houses built by the Salvation Army and visiting the Tsunami photo museum, we can at least empathise, even if we cannot really know, the people's experiences of the Tsunami and its aftermath. The thankfulness that so many have for the SA, and the new hope and lives that they have underlines the fantastic selfless work that the Salvation Army has been carrying out since the Tsunami. Please take a few minutes to watch the video:

In visiting 'The Haven', one of the homes run in Colombo by the Salvation Army, we were able to show the love of God to people who had experienced very little love in their lives, which was an incredible privilege. Because of this experience, and because of the examples of so many of the Salvation Army workers in Sri Lanka, I am continually motivated and challenged to show the love of God to everyone around me. There's not a day has gone by that I haven't reflected upon my experiences and tried to live more like Jesus because of it.

So in summary I am very proud to be a member of the Salvation Army after seeing their amazing work in Sri Lanka. The people working for the SA there were a real inspiration to me because of their dedication and love for God, resulting in their dedication and love for his creation, those people in need. My experiences will remain with me forever, and will help me grow as I travel along the Christian journey. A massive thank you to everyone who sponsored me, I hope that this blog has helped you appreciate some of my experiences. Finally, a huge thank you to The Salvation Army's International Development (SAID) department for helping organise and run the trip, you guys do a fantastic job. 

 

It is only fitting that the very last words to conclude this blog are taken from the Bible. John 3 v16 is the ultimate inspiration for why the Salvation Army Church cares so much for humankind:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

With a love like that, how could we not care for God's own?

If you'd like to find out more about SAID's work around the world or make a donation to one of their projects, then please visit their website here (try refreshing if page doesn't load up first time).

Day 11: Final day

After a very bad night's sleep I joined the others in the minibus at 5am to be driven by Nalin to Colombo Airport. We said goodbye to a very tired looking Sam before we left, who was staying on to work with the projects in Sri Lanka, and Sharon had also got up to see us off. The journey only took a third of the time at this point in the morning that it had taken when we had first arrived – goes to show how bad the traffic actually gets!

At the airport Michelle managed to get her flight transferred to the one the other 4 of us were traveling on (she had initially booked the later flight), something that we had prayed for the previous evening with the disruption occurring in London. The flight was as all flights for me, long, boring, and without any sleep. We said goodbye to Sarah and Helen at Heathrow whilst waiting for Michelle's luggage, before the remaining 3 of us got the tube where we continued to chat over our experiences. Doreen then left to catch her train home, and I caught my train from Kings Cross. It was sad to say goodbye to everyone after sharing in these experiences together for the past 10 days, a period which is sure to live long in my memory. 

I had had less than 1 hours sleep in the past 40, & was shaking from being loaded with sugar and caffeine to ensure I didn't miss my train stop on the way home. Most of the traveling was a blur, though over the following days I thought much over our many experiences on JOURNEY and where God was leading me. One thing I'm sure of is having friends for life, both within the JOURNEY team & with the people we met in Sri Lanka. We don't know what the future holds but we know who holds the future! Surely there can be no better passage to finish the entry than Matthew 11 v 28-30:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

P.S. I am writing this and reading from my Bible opening on the train home – I don't think that before JOURNEY I would have done this, and I have definitely learnt a lot about being a Christian from the folks living for Jesus in Sri Lanka. It is my hope and prayer that the inspiration I have received from my experiences will remain with me forever and shape my future.