Three years

Three years ago today I was having my Easter sunrise service at the airport, getting ready to take off for the great, unknown land of Liberia. I remember shaking my head as I boarded the plane-- wondering what in the world I was getting myself into? Even as I flew over the Atlantic and started the decent into this foreign land I did not believe that I would ever return. Twenty four hours later I knew I would.

When I first signed on with ORR it was for four months. Four became six, six became seven, day by day the time has stretched out into a lifetime of memories, friends, family, experiences, adventures, ups, and downs that I never saw coming. This crazy, ridiculous place has become home. 

I don’t know how much longer I’ll be stomping up and down these dirt streets, but I am grateful for every day that I have had and each day to come. Liberia changes you. It strips you down to the rawest, truest form of yourself. There have been times that I didn’t like the person that I saw looking back at me, but have realized that I am finding the real me-- the me that God intended me to be.

“He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.” – these are Words that I constantly find myself coming back to. God started this journey in me and He is faithful to complete (perfect) it.

Three years!

Wonder where I’ll be in another three?

Celebration

A few years ago I spent a week at a Monastery in Virginia. Throughout the week we learned about different spiritual disciplines-- prayer, fasting, silence and solitude. The one discipline that really surprised me was celebration. I had never really thought of it as something to practice, but learned the importance of it that week. I'll never forget breaking a day and a half of fasting with this amazing feast laid out before me. Surrounded by some of my most favorite people in the world, food and laughter never felt so good. It was amazing. There have been times of celebration since then, but probably not enough.

Then there was a moment this week where I realized that feeling again. True celebration. I was sitting on the steps of an orphanage with two precious little girls in my lap, laughing and singing and just being together. In front of me in the yard Ashley and Ma Mary were surrounded by children and the bright colors and joy of parachute fun. Behind them Josh and the boys were playing frisbee, UFO discs flying through the air like confetti. In the hall behind me I could hear, but not see, sweet sounds of singing, drumming and dancing as some of the other children were saying their goodbyes to Auntie Elena. The joy and celebration in the air was tangible. I wish I could have saved it somehow to show others how it can be. So good. So real. A few moments of whimsy and not caring about anything else in the world except where you are and how good and right it is that you are there.

Celebration. Beauty. Life.