I’m not sure I ever expected to spend a birthday abroad in the bush of Ghana, Africa, but this year it happened, nonetheless. It was our last day at City of Refuge Ministries, so I had plenty of mixed emotions going through the day. On one hand, not only did I certainly miss my family and friends at home, but also I said goodbye to wonderful friends who I had grown so close to over the past month. On the other hand, I had people making me feel loved and special all over the world.
The day began at 5:30 for morning devotions, which happen every morning for those a part of the ministry. Then, as soon as it was over, I received my first “ponding” of the day. “Ponding” is a tradition at CORM, which means on your birthday people are allowed to dump ridiculous amounts of water on you. To say the least, I was not looking forward to this tradition in the slightest, especially after watching it happen to my squad leader Jami on her birthday the Friday before. Like it or not, though, I had my first two cups of water poured on me at 6:00. Normally, we got ready to go to school after this, but because it was the last day most of the morning was spent packing, organizing, and for me, reading cards that loved ones wrote to me. At 11:10am, though (the exact time I was born) both of our teams had a special one-song dance party that I will never forget and brought some extra joy to my day that always comes when I get to dance.
Around lunchtime, some of us headed to the school to say our final goodbyes to our students, and I tried to prepare myself for the difficult task. When I arrived, my class immediately burst into song and presented a poster that they all had signed for me. I was so moved and felt so loved, and I continue to miss them greatly.
Most of the afternoon was spent resting, reading, and avoiding going outside for fear of being “ponded” again, but at 4:00pm, I set out and let them have a field day with dumping cup full upon cup full of water on me. It goes without saying that I was SOAKED, but because I know it means I’m a part of the family of CORM, I also felt blessed.
That night, we had an amazing dinner (all the food there was crazy delicious) and then two of the girls on the other team with us surprised me with a cinnamon sugar sheet cake that literally brought tears to my eyes (part of it was probably from the gesture, but it also tasted THAT good).
To end the night, we were surrounded by almost all of the people living on the CORM campus to pray for us before we left the next day. Tears were shed, and the goodbyes were hard, but I can absolutely say it’s a day I will never forget.
When I woke up that morning, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” just started playing in my head, and I can’t help but believe that it is a theme for my life right now. Even in the midst of expectations that we all have for our birthday, God so richly reminded me of his faithfulness to look on me with love. And the most amazing thing is that this goes so far beyond just our birthdays. He looks on us with love and acceptance and mercy and tenderness not only every day on this earth but also for all of eternity. I can praise him for how he knit me together in my wonderful mother’s womb and chose me for his kingdom far before I was ever created. So, I say thank you, thank you, thank you for my family and friends exceeding my expectations of feeling loved on my birthday, and I say thank you forever to my Beloved Savior for reminding me of how He sees me as special and chosen and seen and known every single day. I pray that each of you will remember that, too.
Great is Thy faithfulness
Oh, God, my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning, new mercies I see
All I have needed, Thy hands hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me
