Thanksgiving in Africa

I cleaned off my plate and went back for seconds. It was Thanksgiving Day and all the American missionaries got together and had a big potluck. There was a LOT of good food (lots of classic dishes) and I happily followed the good ol’ American tradition of completely over-eating on Thanksgiving Day. Because Malawi is not the United States (haha, not a new concept, I know), Thanksgiving is not celebrated here, and we still had to teach on Thursday and Friday. Teaching on Thanksgiving just felt wrong, and it felt equally wrong to interrupt my Thanksgiving Dinner Coma to get up in time for school the next day.

Beautiful Malawian Countryside

I often feel guilty, eating my fill, living in a house, having a fan and running water. There are so many people who do not have that. So many people live in shacks or lean-tos. Most people pump their water from a well. They cook their meals over a fire and have no electricity. They have no money. Their clothes are worn and tattered. They do not have enough food.

Being here where the people do not even have enough food to feed their children and seeing it with my own eyes has made me more conscious and thankful for what I have. 

So, this holiday season, I am thankful for:

…..having to monitor how much water I use, because it means I have running water.

…..the hot stove burners that I burn my fingers on, even though I turned it off a half hour ago, because it means I have the electricity to cook my food to help avoid food-poisoning.

…..the rooster that cock-a-doodle-doos outside my window incessantly and wakes me up early in the morning, because it means I am still alive. 

…..the terrible heat that proves that my nervous system is still functioning.

…..my fan that brings relief when I feel like I’m going to die from the heat.

…..how sore I get after a session of aerobics with the nurses, because it means I can still use my body.

…..people here who give us rides to places we need to go so we don’t have to rely on public transportation or help us with whatever we need because that keeps us safer and shows that we are cared for.

…..my students who make me smile daily, because it shows that even though teaching is hard, it is rewarding and worth it. There is joy in the difficult.

…..the bad internet connection that will cut out in the middle of a call home, because it means I have a way to talk to my family.

…..the absolutely gorgeous sunsets that completely take my breath away, because it reminds me that beauty is present even in the poorest of places and circumstances.

…..the prayers from all my friends and family at home - it means the world to me.

Most of all, I am thankful for God. He has so greatly blessed me with the best friends and family, both here and at home. He takes the best care of me and loves me every moment of every day, even though I most definitely do not deserve it. I am SO incredibly blessed!