Forty-Four

“Do you want us to take you out tonight?  You shouldn’t be alone on your birthday.”  One of my sweet new friends at school said this to me today.  I was able to assure her that I am not alone.  In fact, I continue to be overwhelmed by the community God has provided here! 

Along with Dona Cristi, Juanita and Maria at home, I have my wonderful teacher, Sonia (whose birthday is tomorrow!), other friends and familiar faces at school, the friends who I’ve met through SI here…

In fact, right now I’m sitting at the SI office next to Nivia, who just received and email from a family wanting to sponsor FOUR of the kids of El Gorrian!  Oh, yeah, God is great!! 

Two birthday gals - my & mi maestra, Sonia.

I brought Sonia a small gift for her birthday, and she gave me some yummy chocolate cookies from her favorite Panaderia.  I got hugs and well wishes from the teachers and Arturo, the Director. 

I shared with Sonia the passage I read last night in Ephesians 4, where Paul talks about the fact that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all (vs 5&6).  I told her it made me think of how she was from Guatemala and spoke Spanish, I was from the U.S. and spoke English (si, poco-a-poco, espanol, tambien!!) and yet, because we serve the same Savior, we are part of the same one body of Christ.  How awesome is our God?!

Today I turn forty-four.  I think back to where I was at 43.  Physically I was in a completely different location, of course, but so much else was different, too.  At that time, I was still thinking about the D.R., but it didn’t seem like it could be real.  I was still not sure about so many things! 

sisters in Christ!

I look back and think of how much has changed in the past 365 days.  And, the crazy thing is, the changes of the past year are nothing compared with what’s coming up!  But you know what, in the midst of everything changing, a couple of things are still the same.  Sadly, some of them are things about me that continue to need God’s (daily!) strength and mercy to overcome.  That's not going to stop, is it?

Others are an assurance and blessing and benediction – the way God has continued to meet me at each step of my journey to date.  The rich friendships I have been given in Him.  Yes, I am very far away from my family, my friends, my ‘Madre del Corazon’ (mother of my heart), my ‘Holiday Family’, my sisters and brothers in Christ back in the US and Canada, but they are still a part of my prayers and a part of who I have become to this point. 

How will I look back on the coming 365 days?  I have no earthly idea!  But, no matter what the coming year brings, I pray that at the end, I will have had more days in which I lived all-out for Jesus.  That each year will increase in me a desire to give up more and more of my small, safe life, for the large plan and purpose of our Father.  

You shouldn’t be alone on your birthday.  My friend was so right – and I most decidedly am not!!  Thanks to each of you who read this for your part in my journey, too.  Some of you I know, others I’ve never met.  But, I pray that, like Sonia, you, too, are a part of this crazy, big, diverse Body of Christ.  May He increase in each of us a desire to live together for Him!!

P.S. One other fun thing:  my new school friend and her roommate are both from Lynchburg, VA!  That’s around 90 minutes from Harrisonburg.  They are Christ-followers, too, and plan to come along to church with me Sunday and then to hear the director of our school and his family sing at La Catedral Sunday evening.  Dios ha proveido otra vez! (God has provided once more!)