My debriefing brain...

Well, obviously I returned to the United States safe and sound...though definitely physically and mentally tired. I was sad to leave Spain right in the middle of the campaign, but I will confess that I was ready to go. I missed home so bad. Trevor and Manoli had a brief interview with me the day before I came home, just to cover how things went in general and how things could change for the people after us. I'm glad they did that...it was good to be able to debrief with them a little bit and just be open and honest about my struggles as well as my joys. Overall, it was a challenging trip for me, and it was reassuring to talk with them, because they too have traveled a lot and understand how stretching it can be. So I guess I'm normal...haha. :)

My trip home was good...I don't remember a ton from it. I slept and watched movies most of the time. And it confirmed my previous opinion that the Madrid airport sucks. SUCKS. But after 10+ hours of travel, I made it home....and met my wonderful boyfriend at the airport, who was very patient with my immediate culture shock and complaints about the stifling humidity.

Now that I've been home nearly three weeks, I think I've had a chance to let my mind debrief a little bit. It's interesting to see how I inwardly react as I return to my home culture. There were some aspects of American culture that I really missed, and others that I now realize I really don't like. And I'm not talking just food and clothes and stuff. Cuz if we're talkin' food and clothes, praise God I'm back in the States, cuz I love me some chocolate chip cookies and a t-shirt! :) Haha. But in terms of principles and cultural values, my mind has been changed about a few things.

* Passion. Christian Spaniards are passionate about their Savior and whatever ministry they're involved in. I didn't encounter many lukewarm Christians in Spain...because to be an evangelical Christian is SO contrary to all they've been taught through their culture. No one would want to be a Christian flippantly. The Christians are unified there as well. They work together in order to suceed and grow in their faith and to benefit the ministry there. Now that I'm back in the States, I'm noticing the nitpicky fights we have in the church here. Where's the unity and community? Stop fighting and get to work. I'm not saying that there's no place for academic debate and discussion, because there definitely is. It just seems to me that we've got our priorities mixed a bit.

*Simplicity. When I returned to the States, I realized anew how complicated we make our lives. I loved the simplicity of life in Spain. This was even seen in their homes, in the way things were organized and operated. Things were just simple. I think that we as Americans just accumulate too much clutter...and we think we need things that we really don't...even in our super clean, fashion oriented culture. We don't need it all. Keep what you use and what you like. I'm definitely adopting this method of life. Simple.

*Family involvement. Spaniards definitely aren't Latino in the sense that they're with family ALL the time, and Grandma is in charge. But the extended family is definitely involved in each other's lives more than we would in the States. And the grandparents play a huge part in their grandchildren's lives...which I love. I'd love to implement this into my own family one day.

I'm sure that I will continue to think about this...especially now that I'm back in school and we're all about to debrief with our professors. But as far as this blog is concerned, I'm done. It's been a good summer...challenging...but I'm grateful for all I've learned and all that I will continue to learn as I process this whole experience. If you'd like to continue with me, please subscribe to my "normal" blog..haha. :) www.haileymorris.blogspot.com

Thank you all for your support and encouragement this summer!! I appreciate it!!!
Nos vemos. ;)

Campaign!!

These past few weeks have been...well, how can I put it. Insane? We've been preparing for and now are engaging in what OM calls the summer campaign. People from all over the world met in Rome last week, doing evangelism workshops and practicing some evangelism in the city. During that week, we also had a local campaign here in Ferrol. Since EVERYTHING slows down in Spain during the summer, the evangelical Christians do their evangelizing during that time. So we've been preparing for the hordes of people who would be living in our house and yard. Yes, I said yard. Haha.

We got a team in from Zaragoza and the Canary Islands (both in Spain) a week and a half ago. They all crammed in our house and our yard in tents (girls inside, boys outside)....and did I mention we only have one bathroom in the house? Showers are a fun challenge...haha. :) Although life in Galicia has gotten a whole lot crazier since they arrived, I've honestly REALLY enjoyed their presence here. They're a very happy, goofy group...which was something I needed. Even though I don't understand them all the time, it's been nice to just laugh and be a little silly with them. They even put fake poop in my shower one time! :) We've been doing evangelism here in Ferrol this week, through many different venues. Mostly through children's events in one of the town plazas. We've had puppets, crafts, balloon animals, clowns, dances...and the kids have actually come! I had the chance to talk to some people, and it's funny, but they're not so opposed to the evangelical church when we're doing something for the kids.

We also walked around Ferrol in pairs, passing out information about the church (the flyers laid out the gospel simply as well), and invitations to a free movie night at the church. We handed out thousands of flyers, and had only one non-church member show up. That can be discouraging, but that's how ministry is here in Spain. Visible fruit of your ministry is very slow and you have to be patient and faithful regardless.

We got another team in on Saturday as well...in addition to the team we already had. The new team had been in Rome with the international OM conference, and had spent a week in Madrid with the missionaries there (the people that Lydia and I were with in June). This team is all international. We have people from Chicago to Hong Kong to Holland to Germany. All over. Our house is even more crowded, and communication is even more fun than normal...haha. This morning, I found myself translating Spanish into English for a Dutch guy. And I'm not even that great in Spanish. I missed a lot, I know..haha. Poor guy.

The team that is here will be helping churches in other towns, rather than Ferrol. I haven't had a chance to minister with them when they go out, because I have had to do intern stuff in Naron, as well as prepare to leave tomorrow. :( But I'll post more debriefing thoughts later.