stepping up

In my job, I usually look after short term volunteers during their time here in Guatemala. But this time last year, we sent a Guatemalan Strider off to England, and he´s recently returned here. It´s been fascinating to see the experience from the other direction. What´s been really interesting has been to hear how he has changed through the experience
We met up to reflect on all that he´s experienced this last year. He explained that there were lots of things that he was worried about before he went, but he decided from the beginning that whatever he was asked to do in his placement, he would say yes... (and panic later)... and that´s how things went. As a result, he was able to step up into all sorts of new things, that he´d never done before and experience Gods faithfulness in it all.
His friends and family have also commented on how he has changed. His brother said ´he´s different ... but the same.´ It is a strange sense of being the same as before, but much more so - which somehow makes him different, almost like he has grown into who he always was - or at least had the potential to be. There´s something about being in a different culture with an attitude of service, that makes you step into more of what God has for you. In the process gifts and abilities are developed and a sense of vision and calling are sharpened. Of course that´s never the end of the story - God always has more for us to grow into but there´s few opportunities in life like it, where you can really put yourself on the line and step up.
And I love the fact that Latin Link is able to provide these sorts of opportunities.