Arms Wide Open

I am accepting the fact that I won't be able to fully communicate everything because there is just so much going on here, and that's okay!

I'm already finishing up my second week working in South Africa. Time is moving crazy fast. I'm all settled in, getting used to a new routine, and getting to know the incredible people that make up the Pfunanane community. I have been loving doing life with them and experiencing their world here. 

This group of people has embraced me with arms wide open. What an incredible thing it is to feel welcomed when entering into an unfamiliar environment. God intends for us to live in community. To live with our arms wide open to others, following His example. I've realized that as I live life with this desire and mindset of embracing others fully, I often forget to live with my arms wide open to God first.  God craves for us to seek Him before all else; welcoming and inviting him into our messy lives and day to day routines and concentrating on His guidance, forgiveness, mercy, grace, justice, peace, love and righteousness (the list of awe-inspiring characteristics goes on). By embracing God first, He can work through our open arms. Allowing us as humans to be vulnerable, to embrace ourselves and others for all that we are, and to be a source of His goodness and  His love.  This is far greater than what we could share alone.    

Here are a few (among MANY) moments so far where I've felt God with arms wide open:
- Charlie, the three year old I nanny a few hours a day, looked at me and said, “You’re my friend now!” then proceeded to pretend to be a mouse and squeak at me for ten minutes. 
- Gracious, a girl I tutor, was excited to talk about how well her test went that day and then listed off all of the other subjects she needs help with. 
- During a therapy horse back riding lesson with a student who is all smiles, she simply asked, “Can I ride again tomorrow?”. 
- While praying with Lesli, a missionary here, I listened as she prayed about something that had been on my heart, without me even mentioning it to her. 
- While getting to know the other missionaries serving here, we laughed at silly things and I listened as they taught me which grocery store has the freshest fruits and vegetables; as well as the ins and outs of everything else. 



Photo below featuring one of the kids I nanny a few hours a day. Ellie (AKA Bobsie) riding a "cocoa", which is what she calls all horses.