So, how was Nigeria?

That is the first question I came home to:

So... how was Nigeria?! Life-changing?!

And rightly so. What else are you going to ask a person who leaves on a medical mission trip to Africa? How was the food? No. (I mean, that may be your third question cause I know I'd be curious about that. One word: plantains.)

But let me tell you - I wrestled with this question. I needed time when I came home because I wasn't ready to talk about it. I was overwhelmed and I didn't realize that I would need to process what happened. Mainly because Jose came home and was like "ok, back to work!" - meanwhile, these emotions are stirring in me and I'm wondering: um, does anyone else from the trip need a moment?!

Turns out I wasn't the only one. Phew. Thank God for debriefing meetings. Let's just say those dang tears came out. Because this is how Nigeria was: incredible and incredibly hard. No - I was never in the midst of a moment where I felt: wow, that changed my life. In fact, I really struggled on the first day to connect with the mission! This was a medical mission trip where we would be providing medical attention to thousands of Nigerians who's only chance for medical attention is the one WE bring.

The first day, we pull up in vans and we see hundreds and hundreds of people standing, waiting for us. I gripped my camera and thought: how will I work the nerve to photograph this? Let's be real. I was supposed to slip into these moments that are happening around me, unnoticed. Yeah right. Unnoticed?! And I get SUPER self-conscious/nervous when I have HUNDREDS of eyes on just me. I thought to myself, ok - I'm just going to get out there and DO THIS. I was all Rocky-chanting in my head - ignore the stares, just shoot. And I did that until...