Event
Calendar:
1. Monday,
November 21, 2011: Prayer walk in a city near here
2. Thursday,
November 24, 2011: Thanksgiving Celebration
3. Friday,
November 25, 2011: India team Christmas Eve
4. Saturday,
November 26, 2011: India team Christmas
5. Thursday,
December 1, 2011: Last day of ministry in Preschool and Tuition
6. Friday
December 2, 2011: Going away party in the Rahab’s Rope Center
7. Friday
night, December 2, 2011: Heading to Bangalore for Debrief
This is the
order of events for the next 2 weeks here in Goa. Wait. The next 2 what?? Yeah, my feelings exactly…. We are down to
the wire, as we have our last couple weeks of ministry and are jam-packed, as
you can see, of events and celebrations. I cannot believe we are nearing the
end, but my team and I were given an encouraging word by one of our leaders
here through Rahab’s Rope for morning devotion a couple of days ago. She
reminded us that as we have been here for a little over than 2 months, we have
had a lot of opportunities to really change the lives here. We have formed
relationships and touched lives in ways that we probably never have before, but
now that we are nearing the end, it will be easier to focus on the big events
that we have planned and disregard the “little” things that we experience
everyday. But she reminded us we still have 2 weeks of opportunity to change
lives. We still have 2 weeks of chances to build stronger bonds. We still have
2 weeks to really change lives here in Goa. We still have time here and our
ministry here doesn’t end, just because we are having closing celebrations
soon. We have been put here at such a time as this, so how are we continuing to
really take hold of this time and glorifying the Lord with it? How are we
looking past the big events, and focusing on those little everyday things with
the people we have grown to love and cherish? And when I look back at this
time, will I only see the big events and subconsciously forget those little
things that weren’t as big as our many parties and outings and celebrations?
And as I dwell on that I think…I love these people and these moments at such a
time of this too much to ever forget every little moment and not store it away
in my heart…
The “little”
things (that are big in my heart):
1. Cramming
onto a bus with Indian music blaring in my ears
2. Holding
the hand of one of my children in Tuition as we walk down the slum
3. Playing
puffed cheeks with one of my girls in Preschool
4. Getting a
surprise kiss from one of my Nursery students in the morning
5. Dancing
in the flat to Shah Ruhkahn videos with the Preschool teachers
6. The crazy
old man that directs people on the road in front of the bus stop with his
hardhat and whistle
7. Laughing
with the women here on the beach
8. Crazy
moments with my team during team time
9. Watching
an Indian sunset over the horizon in our own front yard
10. So many
more that I can’t even list them all…
