So much to be thankful for...

I am thankful that I have rats in my house to show me how blessed I am to have lived without them my whole life. I am thankful not to have electricity all the time to give me more silence and time with God. I am thankful I do not have the freedom to come and go from my house as I please, so I can spend more time with my neighbors and loved ones that surround me in my home. I am thankful for the postal service, without them I wouldn’t have half of the things I have that the generous people in my life send me. I am thankful for my cold shower, because some of my friends take baths with buckets in the streets. I am thankful for the creativity of the children that surround me, because they play with trash and are completely entertained by it. I am thankful to not have a dishwasher to be able to sing, dance and do my dishes with my friends that always want to help me. I am thankful I don’t have a washer and dryer to be able to understand how hard Haitien’s work each and every day to clean their clothes. I am thankful for my mosquito net to protect me from those feisty little bugs. I am thankful for earplugs, so I can sleep peacefully through the night without hearing all the cats, dogs, chickens, goats, and roosters of the city. I am thankful for the internet so I can continue in my tradition of Black Friday shopping while in Haiti. I am thankful for books, to hear messages from people to stretch me, help me and direct me. I am thankful for blogs, to hear about other people’s experiences and lives all around the world.  

I am thankful for traditions, because I am able to express how thankful I am for my wonderful family and friends. I am thankful for our new church we have formed with the missionaries here in Haiti—with their support, fellowship, even speaking the same language and being from the same culture, we can grow together, understand each other, feed our hungers for God, and teach and cheer each other on in the work we are doing here. I am thankful for all the hardships I have faced to have helped me understand God is guiding, disciplining, and instructing me to trust in His plans and not my own. I am thankful for my family, because I couldn’t give to these kids the way I am able to without their love, care and guidance throughout my life. I am thankful for my friends, for the encouragement and growth they have helped provide and continue to give to my walk with God.

 I am so thankful God has led me here to this beautiful place with these beautiful people during Thanksgiving for me to truly see the many of simple and vast blessings of my life.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!