Adieu 2010

Happy New Year!

It’s been a good day today….and a good week! I spent the went helping build a roof up North in Komboro Koro (or something like that) near Korhogo. It was great to work with the Ivorians, and to help a church get a roof put up. Hard work, great eating, and great fellowship.

As I write this, I am sitting here digesting the brains, ears, meat, and whoknows what else of a delicious pig that we slow cooked all day. When I awoke this morning I walked over to where we were cooking the pig and helped Chazz with firewood. The pig was cooked in a hole that we had dug, wrapped in banana leaves, and buried. It was so tender and good, but I’m afraid I haven’t recovered yet from the psychological trauma of eating the brain. It’s texture was a cross between mashed potatoes and gummy bears. Along with the pig were french friend, onion rings, spanish rice, pineapple, and lots of desserts.

Looking back, I can’t believe how fast this year has gone by….but isn’t that how it feels every year? So much has happened this year, I’m not the same person I was when the year began in many ways. This year has seen many ups and downs – college graduation, my Dad’s death, moving to Africa – I have said goodbye to a lot of people this year. It has been a very hard year, but also a great year. Living in community with the other journeyers all day every day is something God has been using to stretch me. I thank God for his provision of family here in Africa. I love everyone back home, and saying goodbye was hard, but God is good and has blessed me with a lot of new relationships here. I really love them all like family, out bond in Christ has brought us together and made us all so close. I also am finding a lot of healing here, even for wounds I’ve had for years that I didn’t even realize I still had.

I’m making a new year’s resolution this year. I’m resolving two things: 1 - to continually thank God for things I’m not used to that cause me to think differently (in a good way). 2 – to become a competent conversational African-French speaker. Maybe my third should be to actually follow through with my resolutions lol.

Well I’m going to go out to the bonfire and hang out with everyone. Chazz and I built a giant bonfire which stands about 5 feet tall, and will continue to burn for hours I’m sure. I’m pretty sure the only bigger bonfire I’ve seen it when Luke burns Darth Vader on Return of the Jedi.

God bless you all, I hope that you will all look back on 2010 and see the ways that God was and is trying to teach you, guide you, and draw you nearer to Himself. I will pray for you that in 2011 you will continue to open yourself to His working in your heart, and the the ways He challenges you to think about things differently than you do right now. I miss all of you my friends and family all around the world, please pray for me in 2011. Have a great rest of 2010 and have a great 2011!

Romans 12:9 – Love must be sincere; hate what is evil, cling to what is good.