4 days ago was Thanksgiving.
I never though I would be in the middle of Ecuador for my first Thanksgiving alone. I never thought I would be living in an orphanage with 7 other girls and 30 other children.
I was really hating the fact that I was away from my family. Aunt J and Uncle D… mom and Day. It hurt to know that I was missing everyone getting together for the meal and my brother getting to see his first car.
I woke up at 2 AM on Thanksgiving day… got up and put a pot of coffee on, got butter and spices and a 16 pound turkey from the fridge. Somehow, while planning Thanksgiving dinner with my team, I had volunteered to cook the turkey.
Jess was up with me. She helped keep me motivated to cook the beast and we had endless hours of coffee, conversation, and Friends Thanksgiving episodes.
The turkey was ready at 8:30. It was perfect. But just because it was a day of thanks and food didn’t mean ministry got to be put on hold.
We went to the old folks kitchen and we danced. Oh how we danced. We danced and I gave thanks for them and for my teammates and for God. Then we danced some more.
When Jess and I got home from the soup kitchen, we all feasted.
There was turkey, stuffing, homemade biscuits, corn, mashed potatoes, sweet tea, pie, fudge… everything that Thanksgiving back home would include.
Then it hit me.
This is home. These people are home. This orphanage is home. God is my home. This was the most “homey” Thanksgiving I have ever had. With these people, I feel safe and heard and loved. I feel like I can be me.
I longed for my family on Thanksgiving, but I also knew that I was with my family.
As a team, we longed for the things we were accustomed to back home: traditions, family recipes, decorations, or simply, the presence of our loved ones. But now, we have new traditions, we have new recipes, decorations, and we are in the presence of those whom we love and whom love us.
All the while, we are in the most important presence- the presence of God. He is in our reach at every single moment. He is showering us with His love, grace, judgement, and comfort.
I never thought I would feel His presence so greatly on a holiday such as Thanksgiving, but this year, we bathed in His presence. We laughed, cried, and gave all thanks to Him and with Him.
