GOOD NEWS: I MADE IT TO COTE D’IVOIRE WITH MY PASSPORT IN HAND!
For those of you who don’t know the back-story, just know that this was something that everyone back home was concerned about. They may or may not have joked about having my passport taped to my chest for the whole 11 months that I’m gone.
Being able to have my birthday in Africa, on one of the first days of this new journey that I’ve been called to has been more incredible that I could have ever imagined. I knew that this birthday was going to be incredible because I would get to spend it in Africa, experiencing a new culture, loving on God’s people, and living with my new family. I knew that I would be anxious for this birthday because I’ve spent every other birthday with my family back home and I wasn’t sure how it was going to be without having them with me. But the Lord provides and works in beautiful ways because he knows us and loves us and he knows exactly what we need.
The night before my birthday, we had some team time talking about how the day was going. The girls timed it out perfectly to end at midnight so they could sing happy birthday to me immediately. During the singing, the other team we are living with this month jumped into the room and joined in. After, we ended the night with a dance party and my favorite playing some card games.
When I woke up in the morning, Esther and Emily (two girls from the other team) were already in the kitchen making me breakfast, which consisted of eggs and oranges. Shortly after breakfast, we were blessed enough to get wifi. This allowed me to skype home to my mom. My niece Olivea and I share the same birthday and back home, they were all spending the day going to the zoo. So when I skyped home, I got to talk to and see my mom, sister in law, and all my favorite little nieces and nephews. It made my heart so happy to have that chance to see them all. Later that afternoon, we walked down the street to play with the neighborhood kids. Even though there was somewhat of a language barrier, the smiles and laughs we shared together that afternoon told me that God has given me new and beautiful friends.
For dinner, the teams made the most bomb dinner but that dessert…After dinner was over, they brought out a crisp wafer and nutella cake, put a crown on my head, sang happy birthday to me, and then let me blow out a match. And as my treat, I got to pick out a movie for us to watch for the night so we spent the next few hours quoting and laughing to Cady Heron and Regina George.
As I laid in my hammock that night, all I could think about was how great of a day it was. The Lord knew it was going to be a change for me to not physically be home with my family for my birthday so he gave me an opportunity to be with them electronically. He knew that I was excited about having my birthday in a new country with a new family but he made it so much more remarkable than I would have thought it would be. Throughout the day, he also showed me how amazing, supportive, loving, and kindhearted my team and the other team are. The acts shown towards me by them were so simple but you can tell that they truly love and care for me and that makes me so much more stoked to continue to do these next 11 months with them.
24th birthday: African edition: you did me good, real good.
Thank you Lord for being good to your sons and daughters.
