Packed and Unpacking

I skimmed the YAGM Madagascar packing list one final time. T-shirts. Skirts. Sunscreen. Malaria medication. All the essentials rested like Tetris pieces in my checked bag. Then I reviewed my personal packing list; what would I - Morghen Philippi - need for a year in Toliara, Madagascar? Running shoes, of course. A coloring book. Pictures of family and friends. A jar of peanut butter (which will certainly not last the whole year). I zipped my bags one final time and stepped on the bathroom scale - two bags well under 50 pounds. Mission accomplished. My father and I loaded the bags into his trunk, and after a heart-warming drive through Iowa farmland, a few teary goodbyes, and a plane ride to Chicago, I settled into my room at YAGM Orientation 2016-2017.

I will leave for Madagascar a week from today. Until then, I join in fellowship with 84 other YAGMs, several full-time ELCA Global Mission staff members, and other alumni of the program. We will navigate complex topics and begin to ponder more deeply what it means to serve as a Young Adult in Global Mission. This reflection and contemplation began last night. I gathered around a table with the other seven YAGMs destined for Madagascar. Our leader questioned: what did we forget to pack? Some of us had forgotten our waterbottles; others forgot toothpaste. I'm still not sure. Have I left something important behind? Am I even truly sure I know what I need? These questions developed new meaning this morning during devotions. An alumni asked us what small things we carry with us. Myself, I bring a picture from my brother's wedding and the necklace my parents designed for me. What weight do these things contribute?

Packed beneath the picture from my brother's wedding resides a great deal of love and memories of a happy household. The necklace from my parents rests above my heart - heavy with support from back home. What other emotions, memories, and expectations sit in my suitcase - shoved between my chacos and nail clippers? Though most of my belongings will spend the week in my zipped black bag, a process of unpacking has begun.

I venture to Madagascar with questions. Will I be able to communicate and comprehend Malagasy? How will my loved ones view me when I return? What differences will be glaring, and which differences will rest deep in my very soul?

I travel to Madagascar with desires large and small. I hope to make new friends and learn new love for those in my community. I long to face challenge - to experience feirce growth. I want to listen intently to the stories of those around me and discover how to tell those stories once I return.

I also embark with memories, with history, and personal perspective. I recently graduated from a small liberal arts college focused on "increasing diversity." I spent the last eight years running alongside beautifully strong female athletes. I know womanhood to be an opportunity for strength and independence. This past summer brought months of mountain climbing and profound respect for nature. The list continues.

Certainly these questions, desires, memories, moments, and perspectives accompany me to Madagascar. Certainly, they will influence my experience. Yet, I wonder, should any remain in Chicago - intentionally forgotten? If so, which ones?

As I continue on this journey, I pray to continue this process of unpacking. I hope I can open myself to change and challenge. I long to unpack not only my own idenity and experiences, but unpack a bit of the world.

Before I resign for the evening, I wish to extend a sincere note of thanks. As I have prepared for this journey, those around me have poured out such incredible support. Your financial support makes this year possible, and your prayers and encouragement surround me with warmth and joy. Thank you.