This week saw the return of a few Berkey college student attendees from their Study Service Term.
Gretchen Geyer, Peru
For the past three months I have been living with two different host families studying and doing voluntary service in Peru. Prior to leaving I had some expectations that I would be pushed out of my comfort zone but these expectations were far exceeded; from understanding culturally differences, to language barriers or being removed from most familiarities.
In these three months I experienced some of the best times of my life and some of the hardest. But through and through I was able to turn to God. Without the constant distractions, that are nearly always present in my life in the United States, of cell phones, computers or TVs, I found a lot more free time. This presented the perfect opportunity for prayer. I found the Peace of God in the difficult times and said many prayers of thanksgiving in the good times.
I would not trade the experiences of the past three months for anything. While it is wonderful to be reunited with friends and family here in the United States, I will forever miss all my new friends and family in Peru. I am so thankful for all of the fantastic memories that I can keep forever!
