Those are just a few of the words that came to mind while writing this blog. We are currently in the middle of month 5, and living in a village located in the middle of a Forrest in West Africa.
From the moment we first arrived, we have felt nothing but welcomed and loved by the people here. This is the first time Americans have been to their village, and many of them have never even seen a white person before now. They are amazed by my long curly hair and love to touch the freckles on my skin. They are genuinely some of the kindest people I have ever met and I am so excited that God orchestrated a plan for our paths to cross. As we live in a village with no electricity or running water, I can’t help but think about all of the things I am thankful for.
I’m thankful for our little clay hut we get to call home this month. It’s very dark and often times feels like a steam room, but it provides us with shelter and a private room to sleep in. Im thankful for the mattress covering the ground they so graciously gave us to sleep on. As we sleep shoulder to shoulder trying not to sweat on each other, we get to sleep in “comfort” while listening to the lizards crawl across our palm branch and cardboard roof.
I’m thankful for our little bathroom. I’m thankful for the squatty potty and the little area we have to shower. I’m thankful that we have the opportunity to do those things in the privacy of the four little mud walls we call a bathroom.
I’m thankful for our chilly and refreshing bucket showers after a long hot day. When we are sticky, sweaty, and covered in dirt (and sometimes pee) there’s nothing better than the feeling of the cold water hitting your skin.
I’m thankful for the countless babies around every corner. I’m thankful that their moms allow me to cuddle them and take them with me wherever I go. I love tying them on my back and walking around the village as if I’m a local, even when they often times pee and poop on me. I’m thankful for the opportunity to love on them and show them Jesus even at their young age.
I’m thankful for the 7 hour long church services filled with an abundance of singing,dancing, and praising the Lord. I’m thankful for the joy that fills the air as the people of this village come together to learn more about God.
I’m thankful for the one bottle of water we get each day (don’t worry it’s a pretty big bottle). I’m thankful that, unlike many people in this world, I don’t have to worry about when the next time I’ll get water is. I’m thankful that I don’t have to worry about whether or not the water I’m drinking is clean or will leave me feeling sick.
I’m thankful that we don’t have electricity this month. I’m thankful that we don’t have our phones or computers to distract us from everything God is doing around us. I’m thankful that we are fully present and engaged with the people we are doing life with this month.
And lastly, I’m thankful for the woman of this village. I’m thankful for how well they love and serve us. They go out of their way to make sure that we are happy every second of every day. They dress us in traditional African outfits and love to help us do our hair. They continually greet us with hugs and laugh with us as we eagerly try to learn their language.
This week has been nothing short of an adventure. Each day I find myself questioning if I’m in a dream or if it’s real life. As I walk around the beautiful village, the Lord has been teaching me a lot about gratitude. He’s taught me to not only be thankful for the big things, but also all of the small things. In our world, it’s easy to get distracted with the things going on around us. It’s easy to run through our busy schedule each day without noticing everything God is doing! I encourage you to take time throughout the day to stop and thank God for all He has done! Thank Him for the big things, the small things, and everything in between! When you have a heart of gratitude, Joy comes naturally!
Joyfully His,
Liz
