Thankful...

I talked to a friend briefly about journaling this afternoon and realized that at times it is sporadic at best. However, I do have this blog, which I definitely rely on for my stories. I do enjoy going back and reading some of my stories from the past. It brings back so many memories. Maybe someday I will have to publish some of it. Anyway, I spent about 15 minutes re-reading some of my previous blog posts and have to say that I am so thankful for so many amazing experiences. The good, the bad, the sad, the happy. All of these experiences have made me into the person I am today.

I read about the difficulty of treating patients on an outpatient basis when really they should have been admitted had that been possible. Or the gladness of being able to refer a critically ill patient and hearing that they survived. The craziness of trying to get back to the team house compound after an 11 hour work day. The long hours of travel from Sierra Leone to Holland when in reality it was only a 6 hour flight. Sorrow when a patient dies due to a condition that could have been treated in a different country. The humor of a live chicken being given as a gift and needing to remain under the desk in the clinic for the rest of the day. The anger that boils up when hearing a child died at the local hospital in front of the registration desk because the family did not come up with enough money to pay the unofficial hospital fees. The feeling of arriving home in Sierra Leone after being away for 5 weeks of holiday. The excitement of traveling to Kenya and Thailand for medical courses. The beauty of visiting amazing beaches. The simplicity of living. The confrontations with myself when working in a team setting.

So many experiences. So many moments of stretching and growth. And all though there were many situations I would have rather skipped at the time they occurred, I know I had to go through them for a reason. And I pray that as I continue this journey with God, He will continue to stretch me, mold me, make me. I have a long way to go but I want to become a better person. And I trust He knows best. "He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it."