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As I begin this blog post, I'm sitting at a friends house doing laundry and struggling with what I should write. I want to thank everyone who has been reading these posts. Coming back to the States I have almost no money and so many people have offered their houses to stay at. I realize that without my friends and family, I would have nothing, and so I thank you for being there for me.

I'm not sure if it has hit me that I'm gone. I haven't yet fully understood the things that I've learned and the ways that I've grown in Peru. I do know that I have changed. I'm a better man, more patient, more charitable, more faithful. I think I've changed in ways that I'm not fully aware of yet.

The truth is, I feel sad. Peru taught me so much. The gifts that the children of Alegria En El Senor gave me were immeasurable and I could never pay them back. Many of the children are bound to wheelchairs. They have to ask you to feed them, ask you to take them to the bathroom, ask you to do everything for them. Things I take for granted, because I can do them myself. Not only this, but they ask with such great joy. They are mature beyond their years and know how to love life in a way that a big house, fancy car, and millions of dollars could never teach you. We could all learn a lot from them.

My class.

Another of my favorite classes.

The Sodalitium taught me to live out my life in a way that combines my faith and the things I do. I have grown spiritually thanks to the time and effort of countless men and women of the CLM. It is the most important thing that I take back to the States, my faith. It is hard to say goodbye.

Camping! Clockwise from me: Greg, David, Jeff, and Manuel

Bridges: Bringing high-school students to work in the poorest areas of Lima.

I don't know if you can tell, I tried to grow a beard for a while.

At the same time I'm excited to see everyone. I'm excited for Christmas with the family. I'm ready for a change and I'm ready to live in America again. It has been great to see my friends in the last couple days, and I look forward to seeing the rest. Like I said, I would have nothing without my friends and family.

This January I start working at an organization called Christ in the City where I will be serving people who are lost in our society, including Denver's homeless. The goal is to, "provide a service of outreach, striving to meet and live charity with people who have fallen through the cracks of society." I hope you will understand and support me. I am excited to see many of you now that I'm back in CO!

I have so many friends in Peru who I will never forget. You are my family now and I will never forget you.