I am having a bit of trouble starting this post because it is incredibly difficult to describe with words what I have seen with my eyes and felt in my heart in just the past 6 days. The thing that strikes me the most about this trip so far is the deep rooted contrasts in everything. This evening we went to the "poverty section," as our guide called it, and it was shocking. After a devastating earthquake struck Armenia in 1988, many countries sent temporary homes here for those who had lost theirs. However, for many people, these temporary homes became permanent. We were able to go into one of the family's homes to see what the living conditions were liked. They had a family of six living in a small metal building with a curtain dividing the living room from the dining area.
After we looked inside the home, we stood outside and listened to the family's story. The husband currently serves in the military, and one of the sons was away for camp. While we listened to the story, the youngest son played with a balloon that we brought with us. He was very energetic and friendly, but he also looked malnourished. This is just one of the contrasts that I mentioned earlier. Kids seem to be kids everywhere around the world, but this particular boy had much more to deal with than any child should. The hardest part was not being able to do anything specifically for that family. We were advised not to give money, but we were encouraged by the fact that we are helping in some way to address this problem by being here and working with the Fuller Center to provide nice permanent homes for families like the one we met today.
It was a day packed with conflicting emotions, and it was really only day one of our work here. I am looking forward to all this trip has in store and all of the ways that we can serve while we are here. I can honestly say that being here and serving others feels like home.
Until next time,
Jessica
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