10 Things I Never Knew I was Thankful For

So I wanted to take this time to talk about things I am grateful for. At home I found it tough to remember to be thankful for things. (I doubt I was alone in that struggle). Even here it can be easy to focus on how much I miss pepperoni pizza vs. how much work the kitchen ladies put in to prepping our meals 3 times a day. But the other night it struck me that there were some things here I was very grateful for.

Background story: I have been sick the last few days with stomach problems (which I am determined is food adjustment and NOT a parasite), but the stomach troubles led to me getting dehydrated which gave me nausea and headaches which meant I didn’t eat which made me sleepy. So I was kind of a sad, pathetic mess for poor Jon to deal with. But then we were asked to housesit for the principle of the institute because they’d gotten stuck in Kampala overnight. (They and their 6 kids live in a semi-Americanized home [by that I mean they have plumbing]). So as I was standing in a cold shower, which suddenly became lukewarm, and was able to use a real toilet instead of a pit latrine; it hit me. I was so thankful that God had coordinated things how He did that it made my knees shake. So I began to think on other things I am grateful for.

1. I am grateful that God paired me with Jon and called us out here, because it is a privilege and honor.
2. I am grateful for our story: because in sharing how God has worked in our life and marriage, we were able to walk with another couple who are struggling and say ‘God redeems it, keep on’.
3. I am grateful for the grace that is given to Jon and I as we struggle to learn a new culture. Being at New Hope has given us a safe place to shed some of our American habits (like sarcasm) without causing TOO much offense. 
4. I am grateful for the Godly leadership the Lord has placed over our Institute class and the wisdom they have to share. 
5. I am grateful for pit latrines that have walls and doors (because as Chin tells us, that isn’t always the case).
6. I AM grateful for the wonderful kitchen ladies who work hard to make us food day in and day out, with a smile.
7. I am grateful for those who have adopted us as friends and mentees as we walk this new journey out.
8. I am grateful that we have water. (Many people and places don’t have clean water, or even accessible water).
9. I am grateful for the Godly leadership in our lives before we left, who support and pray for and pastor us even now.
10. I am grateful for those who support us in prayers, finances and encouragement. It is easy to feel isolated, and many of our loved ones have gone out of their way to not let that be so.
I could easily make a list of 100 instead of 10. I could mention Jon’s incredible leadership, our family’s love and support, consistentish electricity and wifi, games, laughter, and chapati (you’ll hear more about chapati later on), but that would take too long. But for today, those are the things that I am meditating on and just basking in how good God really is. Psalm 34:8 tells us, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Well I have tasted and seen and daily His goodness is beyond measure. I have tasted in plenty and found Him gracious. I have tasted in want and found His grace more than sufficient. I have tasted in heartache and found comfort. And I have tasted in celebration and found joy beyond my wildest dreams.

And a new video from one of the pastors here. How do you bring the Fatherhood of God to the Fatherless?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wEsd1pXz-s