I have been living life abroad for about 3 months now. I have somewhat become accustomed to things I never thought I would be. When contemplating what I am grateful for on this hot Thanksgiving Day in Leon, Nicaragua, I considered a lot of things. There are the obvious ones such as my friends and family. The opportunity to travel abroad. My health. Money in my bank account. I of course am grateful for these things. However, there’s more.
I also have considered a shallower list of things I am thankful to have back in the States. This would include warm water, and being able to drink clean water from the sink. Also, things like ice and air conditioning and not having to worry about scorpions in your bed or the usual power outages that I experienced this past month. However, while I am thankful to have all of these blessings back home, I feel these are just to easy.
A few days ago I found myself sitting next to Lake Nicaragua. I was looking at the beautiful view I had come to love in my month at the orphanage. In that moment I felt a deep sense of gratitude to God for the opportunity to live at this orphanage alongside the beautiful children I had met there. I felt thankfulness for being able to bring the love of Christ to places I never imagined that I would go, like slums in Costa Rica or orphanages in Nicaragua. I am so humbled that I have the opportunity to go around the world to dark and fearful places spreading the love and Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am thankful for the lessons I am learning, the people I am meeting, the protection I am receiving, and the incredible people I get to share life with on a daily basis in my team and squad. I am grateful that God has called me here… more like everywhere… for these 11 months. So while I don’t have a lot of “stuff” this year seeing as I am living out of a backpack, I realize my life is truly full of the things that truly matter, God and people.
