It’s my second Christmas in a row in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I opened presents in the same place and ate lunch at the same restaurant. Mostly with different people but the same Jesus celebrations. I got to work out at the same gym and drink the same Latté as last December. I got to FaceTime my family from the same step as last year. I’ll probably go to the same lantern festival and probably eat the same mango sticky rice as I did last New Year’s Eve.
But this year is so different – my eyes, my heart, my mind are so different. My perspective of people and myself and Jesus are so different.
Before the squad split up for the month, we had some morning worship at orientation. The last time I stood in that room I was so different – so fearful, so stuck in my own head. I was so overwhelmed with how much I’d been refined in a year. There was a lot of pride and doubt and fear I had to lay down to get to this place I am now, but all of it was so worth it. I got to share that with the squad and pray over the ones surrendering their fear to the Lord.
It’s a beautiful thing to get to walk this journey out with so many hungry and humble people. It’s exciting to get to give those things away that I didn’t have a grasp on year ago – it’s exciting to be here and to say yes.
Here’s to another 5 and a half months of seeing familiar cultures in new perspectives!
Alexis
