“The only ones among you who will truly be happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” –Albert Einstein

A day has passed since the Peninsula Tour, since our visit to the township at Oceanview, and my heart has been wrestling with my purpose here. How do I reconcile the wealth and poverty, the gaping disconnection between the rich and poor, the contrasting beauty of the land and brokenness of the people? My heart still aching for that young slum girl in the blue-longsleeved shirt, I am reminded that I came to this country to learn and to serve. While simply craving once-in-a-lifetime experiences is fun, loving and serving others is fulfilling. I’ve been reminded that my purpose here is so much deeper than just fun, and even found myself struggling to “enjoy” myself in restaurants and cafes as I watch homeless beggars scrounge around the street outside for food. Just in this first week, I’ve been challenged to see adventure and exploration differently—looking at risks and opportunities as times to be out of my comfort zone in order to serve people I come into contact with, not just times to have an adrenaline rush from shark-caging or bungee-jumping.

When I fast-forward to the end of November and imagine looking back on my semester in Cape Town, I wonder what stories I’ll be able to tell, what experiences I’ll be able to share. I could tell of the great wine, the wild parties, the incredible wildlife, the crazy experiences…or I could tell of the adventures of serving others, the relationships I had, the people that I shared life with, the opportunities I had to give some of myself and my resources to others. I don’t believe that these types of stories are mutually exclusive, or that one is better than the other. However, I do believe that my intentions in these adventures will determine their greater value in my life—and that each interaction I have with other people is chance to share Christ’s love and light with them…I long to be honest and real about the way I use my time and relationships and resources here, hoping to live in the reality that my life is not about me, but about being a humble part of something bigger…asking myself that at the end of the day, what really matters?