This year, I had the best birthday that I’ve ever had!
It’s the most memorable too… being in Randa helps with that.
I woke up to hugs from all of TLC. When I got a hug from Asia (who is a bit adverse to hugs), she gave me a 60 second hug! Aaannnnd, she counted the sixty seconds… super slowly! It was Fantastic! My whole team was so loving! Then, we went to breakfast. There were signs that were up on the wall that the girls had made. Werness had written a rendition of ‘This is My Idea’ from The Swan Princess. It was hilarious. Then, I read a card that Martha had made from the girls. It was in poem form. It was Ashley in a nutshell and I laughed like crazy. Pretty sure I shed a few tears. I then opened the gift from my team. It was a large bag of M&Ms and a bottle of coke zero- man, my team knows me well!
Right after another round of hugs, Owen walked in with Lynda! (There has been squad training this month with the three raised up squad leaders. Owen had been with us like a week and he would bring different squad leaders in training.) Lynda and I had talked about how cool it would be if we were together on our birthdays, and we were for mine! It was surreal! Lynda then gave me some more M&Ms and coke zero! Man, do people know me here or what?! Owen said that they had to leave early though, because he had leader things that he had to do.
The church that we work with is the wife’s church. Successful Christian Missionaries Church- which is a branch of her husband’s church. Pastor Innocent told his wife that he thought we should have the day off, since it was my birthday. She said n, though, but that Ashley can have the whole day off. I didn’t want to be off by myself, so we went to door to door evangelism. Before we went though, I asked if one of the girls and I could ask off for our afternoon ministry and go to a coffee shop. The girls agreed that it was a good idea and then Martha suggested that Lynda and I go after lunch! I didn’t think that Lynda going would be possible, since she was leaving early. But Martha asked Owen if he could come and pick her up later, when we came back, and he said sure. So, Lynda and I were going to go to a coffee shop after lunch!! in AFRICA. On my BIRTHDAY. By ourselves. So Crazy! We then went to evangelize- that in itself was cool, because it was me, Lynda, and Ehop. The three of us had driven to training camp back in July together and now we are in Rwanda doing ministry together!
After evangelism, we came back and ate lunch. Owen left and we all started talking about Lynda and I leaving for the coffee shop. Then Lynda is like, Surprise! I am SPENDING THE NIGHT!! Man, was I surprised and it turns out, that most of my team already knew. Crazies. So, we went to the coffee shop. Ehop said to be back by dark- they had more plans for after dinner. Sooo Lynda and I went to a coffee shop in RWANDA on my BIRTHDAY. It was crazy! We felt like we were at home in America. It was so awesome to be brought home a little bit in the middle of the Race. We got back to the house right at dark. We all sat down and ate dinner and then then girls ushered us into a game of heads up- because they know I love games. 🙂 I am also very competitive and my team knows it. So, this was really cute. My team tried to make this game really competitive. Caitlin and Asia start trying to argue- actually, they all try to be really intense.
Buuuuutttt,
they forgot to keep score…
so there’s that.
🙂 It’s the thought that counts 🙂
Then, after only one turn each in the game… Martha said that I would love the next part, so we had to go, we went into the bigger bedroom and started a movie that they had for me. Point two seconds after Asia hit play, I started screaming because I recognized that it was The Man Who Knew Too Little! Asia had downloaded it and kept it secret from me. I had been trying the whole race to get this movie because Martha and I both love it, and I wanted to surprise her. But, PLOT TWIST, they surprised me with it!!
It was such a great birthday- I will never forget it… EVER!
I loved it so much, I just had to write it down and let you all know!
Thanks for listening!!
<3 Ash
