Not being home for the holidays is hard. Choosing this adventure I prepared myself for that. I prepared for this day in particular to be especially brutal. Thanksgiving is hands down my FAVE holiday so I imagined my mind constantly drifting back home to family & friends there. Back to that table 3,000+ miles away that I oddly enough wouldn’t be sitting at for the first time in 28 years. But man God is so good and today has been all kinds of sweet. I am so thankful for this day and the gift that its been.
The day started out with my team & I heading to ministry. We aren’t at the house anymore this week so it looks like my short stint with construction is over 🙁 Instead we are at Pan de Vida’s main building. Their vision is to gather resources needed to help the less fortunate people in Quito to come to a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and to develop to the fullest their God given potential. They are just incredible and offer a variety of different programs. They distribute school supplies to those in need, provide home improvement for families in dire living conditions, distribute meals, teach the word of God through bible studies, provide disease prevention programs and have a micro-business program teaching and enabling women to run their own businesses among other things!
Today they were putting on a program for Venezuelan immigrants. Over 200 people came! It was beautiful. We opened the doors and welcomed then in. Later we got to play with the amazing kids while the parents attended workshops put together for them focusing on adjusting to life in another country. We also helped put together and distribute bags of food! 200! Wait I already said that. It was just so cool and I am so thankful to have been a part of it. I’ll remember their smiles and hugs forever.
The day just kept getting better! So we leave ministry and the bus ride/walk home is beautiful, the clouds are few and the golden hour leaves everything tinged in an orangey-pinkish-purpley haze. When we get home the house is buzzing with activity. The kitchen smells delicious and everyone looks so nice as we prepare for our thanksgiving meal together in Quito. We fill up our plates with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, buns, and the list goes on. (Seriously the food table never stopped) Then as we are all gathered together we share what we are thankful for. This day, God’s love, each other, the list goes on. A few of us (not naming names) may have cried.
This whole perfect day felt like home. Felt like family. I am so beyond thankful for both. Home & family. Especially meeting the refugees today who have lost their home or been separated from parts of their family. I thank God for my home & family. The home and family I miss back home and the home & family I’ve found here.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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‘give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’
1 Thessalonians 5:18
