Twenty Three
This year, my birthday was one of those experiences you stop
and say-Is this real?
We headed out on Monday evening as a squad to worship-this
time together blew me away. The Holy Spirit showed up big time and laying face
down with tears rolling down my cheeks singing praises to our King couldn’t
have started my celebration off better.
12:00 Midnight-Having Tea with Charles and Carrie I hear ”
Happy Brithday Brit”
12:10 We walk into the lobby of the hostel {which closes at
11, but they stayed open for me} as the squad is all there to receive
me-Blaring “We gonna party like it’s your birthday” (Thanks 50 Cent).
12:15 I am showered with balloons and a beautiful handmade
banner from my team, and pinned with the Birthday Girl pin
12:17 The squad sings happy birthday to me as they bring out
my hand made ‘candy’ cup-cake {If you know me, I am not a HUGE baked goods fan}
and there are 23 of my squad mates holding candles so I blow them all out around the room
12:30-3 am a glass of wine and lots of laughs with Carrie
and a few new friends from P squad
7AM up and heading to the train station-We are off to India
ALL day long, I am showered with love, cards, gifts, and
help with my bags and lots and lots of birthday wishes. . .
Sounds pretty great right? JUST WAIT. . .
We board our flight to India at about 6 PM
6:40 pm The flight attendant wishes me a Happy Birthday
“Brittani”, yes by name and hands me a glass of wine.
7:00 pm Another flight attendant hands me a glass of wine
and says “Happy Birthday Brittani”
Not to mention I am on a flight with 40 of my closest
friends-That alone is a riot
Half way through our 6 hour flight, a woman from the back of
the plane comes up to me and asks, “Is it your birthday?” I smile and say “Yes,
Ma’am” and she touches my face, says, “Happy Birthday Beautiful Woman” and
hands me this beautiful wooden book mark with ivory elephants carved at the top
of it.
I sit back in my seat-in awe, After the generosity of last
month I was certain It was simply a Malay thing. . . however, India was
welcoming me too.
About 15 minutes later, a Man walks up to me with a hand
written birthday card for me from him and his wife, and hands me that with
chocolate.
I thankfully accept the note and gift and sit dumbfounded in
my seat. . . . THESE ARE STRANGERS loving and giving to me on my birthday!
The flight was almost over and one of the flight attendants
brings me a bottle of champagne and says, “Happy 23rd birthday
brittani” and smiles and walks away.
About 5 min after that, a different flight attendant hands
me a bag, I open it to find a bottle of red wine, I smile and before being able
to say thank you he just says, “Happy Birthday to you” and walks away.
Upon pulling up to our gate in India, the pilot is thanking
all of us for flying with them and signs off “Happy 23rd birthday
Brittani” and my teammates lead the squad into “Happy Birthday to you”. . .
The whole plane joined in and I truly couldn’t believe that
a travel day birthday would have been so enjoyable.
The women on my team know me well-and went above and beyond
for me and to them I am so thankful. . . I am certain I have never felt so
appreciated, or loved on a birthday before.
This was the best, birthday to date. Not to mention, it was
26 in a half hours long due to the time change once arriving to India. . . and
I felt loved every moment of it.
THANKS U SQUAD!!!!
