Year’s end is neither an ending or a beginning, but a going on.

  Hal Borland

The year anniversary of my arrival in Lesotho came and went, I did a few inner cartwheels, offered myself a pat on the back, had the opportunity to welcome the newest volunteers to country, and then… nothing changed.  I carried on as I had before.  Nothing stopped, nothing started it just kept going.  If I’m honest, if we’re honest, sometimes the “going” is what is hardest. That saying “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” I know that’s meant to encourage… but when the ‘going’ gets tough, I just wanna rest, stop, or at least distract myself with a party or a celebration.  Yet, one of the hardest and most rewarding years of my life passed and I just kept going, same as before.  We are tough and so we just keep going.

I’m not sharing this to solicit care packages or messages of encouragement but rather to be honest about what I’m doing, and what life is like.  Life and service are full of the beautiful views and faces I’ve shared.  Yes, Lesotho is breathtaking, the Basotho continue to amaze me… but the Peace Corps was clear when they stated volunteering would be “the hardest job you’ll ever love.”  This. Is. Hard.  It’s not easy being so far from everything that seems familiar.  It’s not easy being the outsider in your own home. It’s not easy working towards a goal that you know you will not see realized. And it’s not easy being faced with the brokenness of our world day after day and feeling helpless.  This is not easy.

It has been hard accepting that I am having a tough time.  I felt that I owed it to you, those who are following my journey and to those who I have come to serve to present a brave face.  However, recently I have been reminded that one of the strongest and bravest things we can do is continue to show up, continue to move forward, continue the going.  This is hard, I admit I have struggled and will again… but I am going and even though I don’t feel so tough all the time each day I’m getting a little bit tougher.

I am reminded of the call to follow Jesus, the instruction to pick up our crosses and follow.  Jesus doesn’t sugar coat it, he tells us we are in deed carrying with us the instrument of our death, following is hard, following is death.  Yet although we are not promised glory we are promised that after that death there is life, there is resurrection.  It’s not terribly unlike “the hardest job you’ll ever love.”  Service is tough, faith is tough, life is tough… but friends,WE are tough.  We can and will continue the going. Be tough.

Sala Hantle,

Bren

A few things that have made the tough a little easier…  (scroll over photo for info) 

This face

New Shoes for these learners

Selfies

NEW SHOES!

Grade Seven Boys

Beautiful Cities with Beautiful Friends

Snow Days with my Bro

My Round Home

New Adventures and New Friends

Sprinkles and Celebrations

American Style Birthdays

Small Blankets on Tiny Friends