Dorina

It’s been several weeks since I last wrote, and while so much has happened, there’s also a quiet sense that things have settled into a rhythm. The newness of being here has worn off, and now, it simply feels like life with all its joys, its routines, and its challenges. I’m now more than halfway…

As I reflect on this season of life, I can’t help but be overwhelmed with gratitude for the way God has woven relationships into my everyday experience. Living far from home, apart from my regular family and friends, has certainly had its challenges. There are days when I miss the familiarity, the comfort, and the…

The past week took an unexpected turn, one that I couldn’t have been prepared for.  My grandfather passed away after a short and sudden battle with cancer, and I found myself boarding a flight to the Netherlands. I knew in my heart I had to be there to be with my family and hold a…

There’s something deeply moving about seeing familiar faces return to the Hope Center. Over the past few weeks, we’ve had the incredible honor of welcoming back some of the very first patients we met when we arrived back in February. Among them is a dear baby girl who has especially touched our hearts. When she…

It’s high time for another blog post. I’ve sat down several times intending to write, but somehow, time kept slipping away with the past month being a whirlwind of activity. I recently returned from my PTO (Paid Time Off), which might sound a bit unusual in a volunteer role. Mercy Ships makes an intentional effort…

Time has a funny way of slipping through our fingers. I’ve already transitioned into PTO mood, and as I sit here in Antananarivo, awaiting my international flight this evening, I’m struck by the thought “I’m going home” But, where is home, exactly? Is it where we were born? Where our families are? Or is it…