So I wanted to share some things I’ve been thankful for of late, because there is so very much for which we must all be grateful. I am devouring Corrie ten Boom’s The Hiding Place, which is the story of a woman of beautiful faith who lived through the Holocaust and many of its worst horrors. In one scene within the author’s story, she speaks about her arrival at a concentration camp with her sister Betsie. As the two of them look around the bunkroom, they realize that they are to sleep sidled among their fellow prisoners, in straw full of lice and fleas, and the stench of too many people stuffed into too small a space. In a moment of incredible faith and courage, Betsie challenges her sister Corrie to give thanks, as God commands us, even in this most unfortunate of circumstances. And they do. They give thanks for being assigned to the same bunkhouse together, and for having made it through initial inspection without the confiscation of their treasured Bible, and for the chance for so many to hear God’s word in their close quarters, and even for the fleas! What an incedible example for us all to follow. For those of you who haven’t read The Hiding Place, I would get a copy without delay!
So, some things I’ve been thankful for lately…
1. My family. That it’s so difficult to be away from them because they’ve been such a source of love and kindness to me. It’s crappy to miss people you love, but wonderful to have people to miss!
2. Paved roads. You don’t realize how nice they are until they virtually disappear from underneath you!
3. Smiling children…that they can be so full of joy in the midst of such diverse life circumstances. May we learn from their resilience and spirit!
4. The rain! Thunderstorms! To keep beautiful Belize green and to keep me safe from heat overexposure! 🙂
5. Having access to clean water at home whenever I want it. It is a luxury to many.
6. Snail mail. The happiness that letters can bring, and how easy it is to create such happiness in others simply by sending a letter!
7. The friends I’ve made here at ProWorld Belize–that we have been able to bond over our connections and learn from our differences.
8. Laughter and dancing. World’s first and second best medicines.
9. The sea…its vastness and beauty, and how it reminds us of how small we are.
10. Getting to hear my mom’s voice last night over the computer (Thank you, Google Voice!).
11. Eating organic chocolate super close to where it grows. What a treat!
belizeyoume 