Christmas is next Sunday…NEXT SUNDAY?!? I woke up this morning thinking it was Wednesday, and how we were half way through the week. Then I looked down at my watch and saw that it said Saturday…. wow these days are going fast.
It isn’t until your away that you truly realize how much the holidays spent with family and friends mean to you. I can’t help but miss home. Miss the 4 big family gatherings, my dads Christmas crepes, how my mom decorates our entire house,My brother singing Christmas carols, the smell of Christmas baking and so much more. I miss the cold, and im a little bit salty that its snowing at home this year…the one year I’m not around.
But the lord started to talk to me. He showed me something that I didn’t notice. I have a family here. As a team, we have made an amazing relationship with our host family. Pastor and his wife are like second parents to us. They love us so well. And our translator Anne and her friends Kate, Joy, and Tough have become brothers and sisters to us. They truly all feel as though they are apart of our team. We spent two days decorating our house and the church for Christmas. We listened to Christmas music, made paper snowflakes, decorated a Christmas tree, and shared about our family traditions with each other. It felt like family, it felt like home.
Yeah its hot outside, and feels like its July. Yes, we are not surrounded by our real family. But the lord always knows our needs and our wants. He knows our deepest desires. And he knew what our team needed and he gave it to us. This year isn’t about our lives. Because our lives really aren’t ours at all. It’s the lords. And The lord brought me here this year. To give to others, to shine light in places that are dark. This Christmas I have the opportunity to give out Christmas boxes to kids in different schools. The first school we will be going to all the kids are orphans. They deserve this Christmas. We get to share the love of Jesus, make food for them, give them a present to open, and over all spend time with them and love them the way Jesus loves us all.
I am truly blessed to be here. And although homesickness is real, I do not wish to be home because during this season of my life, this is my home and these people are my family.
PS: please keep my team in your prayers. On the 27th we head to a beach, and live and be tourists there for a few days. And then on the 30th we head back to Bangkok to meet up with the rest of the squad. We will spend 2 days in Bangkok as a mini debrief. And then on Jan 2nd we head to Malawi, Africa for months 4,5 and 6. Pray for safe travels, health because a lot of people are getting sick, and energy. This next week is going to be very busy, and my team is feeling burnt out. So if you could be praying for us we would all really appreciate it !
Lots of love, and a MERRY CHRISTMAS from my family to yours <3
