THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

I've gone back and forth about joining the Peace Corps for three years now, and in about 24 hours I will FINALLY step out on faith and answer the call. I was scared to live outside of my comfort zone to serve others. I was scared to live off of a few dollars a day, to walk in -40*C weather, to try new foods (boiled goat head, anyone?), and to learn a completely different language. I literally started to sweat just thinking about the lonely, cold nights paired with lonliness and boredom followed by excitement and fulfillment...all in one 24 hour period.

Then, God showed me that it could be worse, even in the comfort of my apartment in Hawaii. I gave in. I couldn't run anymore. It's time to fear God more than those cold nights, outhouses, and other people's opinions.

As I begin my journey, I wanted to share some final thoughts about my decision to join the Peace Corps. This is by no means an attempt to justify my decision. Rather, it's a snapshot into what motivates me despite my fear of lack, of man, of inadequacy, and of the unknown.

If there's any calling that you've been running from, hopefully this entry (really, this entire blog) will inspire you to also step out on faith.

1. I want to please God. "...For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required; and to whom much was committed, more will be asked of him." (Luke 12:48). God has blessed me in countless ways, but it wasn't just for my benefit. As my blessings flow, I have committed myself to sow them into His Kingdom so that it may multiply. This is His commandment for all of us. I trust Him to bless me and keep me throughout my journey, so there's nothing to fear.

2. This will be an amazing exerperience. This is a great opportunity to strengthen my program development and management skills while gaining meaningful life experience. As a health specialist, I plan to develop public health curriculums, to design, execute, analyze and improve current public health programs, to support proposal development, to enhance cross-sectoral approaches on preventative health issues at the national or provincial level, and more. I also have the opportunity to choose a smaller project to design and implement.

Moreover, living in a third-world country will give me first-hand experience about low-income issues. I've studied social inequality and have advocated for the low-income, but I don't know how it feels to be them. I strongly believe that you are a much better servant when you've had first-hand experience on what your target audience deals with. I may not know everything in the end, but I'll be one step closer.

3. I do what I want to. I've lived and worked in a number of places. Everywhere I go, Peace Corps has always been in the back of my mind. It's like a nagging feeling that I can't shake. I usually regret the things I didn't do, rather than the things I've done. So, I'm going for it!

These next 27 months are going to be interesting. I plan to post some life lessons and experiences at least on a monthly basis. If there's anything that you'd like me to write about, feel free to drop a note in the "contact me" section!

Nameste.

#vietnam #southeastasia #photo