Happy Thanksgiving!

Let me just say, it's strange to celebrate a holiday in a country that doesn't celebrate that holiday with you. And although we are waiting until Saturday to have our big turkey feast (more on that later), we still celebrated Thanksgiving tonight with a family dinner that was lami kaayo (very delicious) prepared for us by Francis and Bryan. After dinner was over and we were all sitting around the table by candlelight, we all participated in that time-honored tradition - "Go around the table and say what you are thankful for." I don't think there has been a thanksgiving yet where this time didn't leave my mom tearful, which, lets face it, isn't hard to do. (Love you mom!). As we looked around the table, in a house that's on an island half a world away from family and friends, we knew we all had so much to be thankful for. So, in case you were wondering, here is my "what I'm thankful for" list in no particular order.

(1) I'm extremely thankful for the opportunity to spend a year of my life in Cebu working with IJM. I have been given a rare opportunity to work with and learn from professionals who are dedicated to bringing justice to women and girls who are sexually exploited and treated like commodities. And I get to be a part of that.

(my Executive Team during Gary Haugen's visit)

(2) I am thankful for the family God has blessed me with in Cebu. I absolutely love our home and little community here in Peace Valley. The 4 other girls I live with are amazing. While we spend much of our time together teasing and laughing, I am also challenged and inspired by them and the way they live their lives. They have each answered God's call to defend and care for the weak and vulnerable. And then there's Francis, our landlord, dive master, care taker, and most importantly, friend. He is so kind and thoughtful and he takes such good care of us. Of course, he spends about 99% of the time teasing us for one reason or another but that's just part of his charm. And the best part is that he has nicknames for each one of us. I am Kulot (which means curly hair in Cebuano); Ali is Lola (which means grandmother in Cebuano because she goes to bed really early and is the oldest); Bethany is B, Little Girl, or Simba (because she is the youngest and sometimes her hair gets frizzy in the humidity); Amy is Gorgeous; and Crystal is Gigi (which stands for GG for Great-Grand Lola).

(From left to right: Crystal, me, Charmaine, Ali, Amy)

(Francis, me and Ali on a dive)

(Ali and Bethany in Bohol)

(3) I'm thankful for the way that God is working in my life and for all the ways I have been pushed outside my comfort zone while here. Doing so has forced me to wrestle with some difficult questions about the goodness of God in the midst of extreme poverty and what it means to really care for the poor as Jesus commanded us to. I feel like my faith has really been challenged and stretched here as I am surrounded by the consequences of a fallen and depraved world daily.

(serving street children dinner at Fuente)

(4) I'm thankful for my family and friends from back home. They have been so supportive and encouraging during my time here. From texts to emails to video Skype calls, I feel like I've been able to stay in touch pretty well. So, I guess I'm also thankful for the wonderful technology that allows me to stay in touch with friends and family.

(my family at my going away party)

(my sisters: Shannon and Amy)

(Mom and the goo)

(5) I'm thankful that I live in Cebu (especially after a recent trip to Manila - again, a story for another blog post).

(6) I'm thankful for everyone who gave so generously to provide the financial support for me to be here. Incredibly, I was able to raise all my funds for the entire year in 6 short weeks before I left. It has been such a blessing to not have to worry about continued fundraising while I am here. I'm also thankful for everyone who has been praying for me while I am here. There are some days when I am frustrated or discouraged, when life seems harder than it needs to be (like when I lost the use of an arm for a month after my motorcycle accident). But I am always encouraged by knowing that my brothers and sisters in Christ are lifting me before the throne of God in prayer.

As you can see, I have A LOT to be thankful for. Sometimes, I stop and think to myself - Is this actually my life? I feel so incredibly blessed.