This Christmas I find myself sitting in sweat sticky with dirt that just won't seem to come off singing the Cindy Lu Hu song "Where Are You Christmas". I find myself not really caring about Christmas, not really caring about this one day that we make such a big deal out of and stress so much about what gifts to get. I find myself wanting to celebrate Christmas in the purest of forms. To celebrate Jesus. To celebrate the true miracle, the true sacrifice, the true love the Father has for us. I find myself wanting to just be around the people that I love, the people that love me, my family.
But now I realize that my family has grown. I now have brothers and sisters in the Philippines, China, South Africa, Mozambique, and 44 new family members from my squad. That the holidays are about being around the people that you love. My heart hurts not being with my friends and family back home, but I am so thankful for the way that God has provided me with such a huge family. I am so thankful to be spending Christmas at an orphanage in Mozambique. Words can't express the joy, honor, and privilege it is to love on these children, especially on Christmas. To truly take my eyes off myself and look at Jesus and celebrate his birth in a manger, celebrate the people He has brought into my life, celebrate the season of giving, how God gave His son to us, and how we can give to others through His love.
To back track a little bit though and fill you in on this month… It has been one crazy month… Nick and I have been immersed into the life of a squad leader. We have traveled all over Mozambique visiting our teams and I don't think my butt has ever hurt so bad. Of course sitting on two metal bars in a cramped Chapa with chickens and 19 people in it for 3 hours doesn't really help…
Visiting the teams though I have realized that this is what squad leading is all about. It's all about being there for people. It's not about having the right answers or advice to give, it's about listening, asking questions, and helping them walk into more freedom and healing. I find myself shocked and in awe of this position that God has called me into.
I find myself asking who am I? Who am I that I get to see how God moves in and through my squad, rather than just a team of 6. Who am I am that I get to travel all around the country visiting teams and being part of the ministries they are partnering with. Who am I that one day I get to hold and pray for a 4 day old baby boy in Maputo, then the next day visit an orphanage and have a water fight with the children in Beira. Who am I that God has even called me to do the World Race. I laugh so hard at myself when throughout each month I look around in utter shock that this is my life.
Even though I have never been so hot and dirty in my life, even though I don't know exactly what time a meal will come, even though I don't know if I will make it out alive on those crazy African bus rides, even though I have chickens clucking all around my tent at night, I absolutely love my life! I absolutely love God and all that He is doing in and through me. I absolutely love that I got to celebrate Christmas in the purest of forms in Mozambique.
