I am one of those people that flirts with the line of being super enthusiastic/obnoxious about celebrating holidays. Easter, Christmas, Flag Day, Birthdays… I love them all. Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and I found myself struggling with how to celebrate the holiday season from the opposite side of the world (Quezon City, Philippines) with temps in the high 80s and not a pumpkin in sight (that’s right… no pumpkin-spiced lattes).
In my family, Thanksgiving is celebrated by everyone going around the room and saying what we’re thankful for followed by a feast that could easily feed a dozen or so small armies. We make new memories, recall cherished memories from the past, and use the leftover chicken/turkey to make gumbo the next day to accompany a full day of watching football. The approaching holiday has been the cause of my first pangs of homesickness on the race because I know I’m going to miss out on one of the days that I feel God’s love the most. So I started praying, and God gave me the idea for my team to host our own Thanksgiving extravaganza at Wipe Every Tear!
Over the last month, the girls here at Wipe Every Tear have become my family. From the time they wake me up in the morning (my bed is in the living room) to the time after our evening devotion when I get 40 hugs goodnight, each minute of my day is filled with loving these girls and receiving their love in return. I would love to celebrate Thanksgiving with the family God has provided for me this month in the same way that I celebrate the holiday back home. Most of the girls have never heard of Thanksgiving, and it would mean the world to them (and us) for us to cook a turkey, a few casseroles, a dessert (or two) and carve a day out of our year to focus on how much God has blessed us and reflect on all of the reasons we have to be thankful. We might even make a Turkey craft or dress up like Pilgrims. 🙂
If you would like to donate any amount of money for us to get food for a Philippino Thanksgiving feast, you can donate to my paypal account. Just go to paypal.com, hit “send” on the menu bar at the top left, and type in my email: [email protected]. This is just another way to love on the girls here and show them how worthy they are through a sharing of customs, laughter, and Jesus. Thank you!
