Joyeux Noel!

Yesterday was Christmas day,the birth day of our savior. Everyday for me is a humbling experience and my spiritually I am growing more than I could have ever imagine. Lesson learned on Christmas day: It doesn't matter where you are or who your with, what matters is that today is the birth of Christ and that deserves a celebration. To start yesterday off we went to church at 9am. This was quite the church service. The love Christ is so apparent in these people. The celebration was nothing like I have seen before, dancing and singing and praising the Lord with everything they have. I'm pretty church service at home now will never be the same : )
After church I was able to come back to my house for a little while to relax before lunch. I was able to Skype with my family(YEAH!!)and process everything I had experience at church. Olive and I then went to eat lunch at her house workers house. I got to experience my first real Malian meal. They brought out a bucket of water in which you are suppose to wash your hands. You dip your right hand into the bowl and splash water onto your left to wash both hands. You can not put your left hand into the bowl because your left hand is seen as unclean. After we washed our hands the food was brought out to us. It was rice with different vegetables, goat meat, and some sweat potato slices. You start out by putting your right hand into the bowl and eating the rice first by grabbing a hand full and licking it out of your hand. The Malians love to laugh and they were laughing at my ability to eat. The after a few minutes of eating the rice, you are invited to eat some of the meat and vegetables. The meal was very very good and I enjoyed it a lot(although I'm not sure how much my stomach enjoyed it). After the meal they brought us these bags full of a kind of juice made out of fruit juice and ginger. It was good but very spicy. Then they bring you out two bananas to eat. I was so full after all of this food. We then say and just talked to the people for a while, as they prepared the tea. I absolutely love the Malians. They are such wonderful and happy people. As I shared early they love to laugh and they had a great time laughing at me and all my American ways and also when I tried to speak Bambara they would just laugh at all my pronunciations. It was a great time. After we finished our 3 rounds of tea we said our goodbyes and left to go to another missionaries house for more celebrations. We went of to Terry and Barry Neumans house. I helped Terry prepare food in the kitchen before everyone arrived. We then sat down for dinner and had a great time in fellowship. After dinner we read the Christmas story and open a few gifts. It was such a great night and a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of Christ! This will definitely be a Christmas I will never forget! As for my emotions things are starting to look up. I am beginning to get over the culture shock and I am really trying to keep a good attitude. When I was home a friend of mine told me about the time they were on a missions trip to a place they thought they were called to, and they told me how miserable they were. They told me not to be surprised if this happens while I am in Africa. When we had this conversation I just kind of brushed that thought off, thinking that would not happen to me. When I was in Mozambique I absolutely loved it, so why would this be different. I can't even tell you how humbled I have been. I thought I knew things. I thought I knew what culture shock was and I thought that I would love every minute here. This trip had probably been one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I was so naive to think I would be fine. I came by myself during Christmas time thinking I would be just fine. God has been good and he had provided, but I can not say that I love it here. There are times when I am miserable, plain and simple. I miss my family, I'm lonely, I just want to be home. I really try to dismiss these feelings as I want to enjoy my time here, but I really think this is something God is trying to teach me. I have turned to him, like I have never had to before. I'm really learning to depend on his faithfulness and to put aside my selfish feelings and run on his love and joy alone, even when I have none left of my own. I really hope everyone gets to experience a feeling like this because I can tell this trip is going to be a turning point in my walk with Christ. He is faithful and such a gracious heavenly father and I know that he will carry me through till the end. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that in the end you remember what this day mean. The birth of our Savior, who came and died for us, ridiculous humans, so that we could have a chance to live with him someday in heaven. That's why I'm here to share the love and joy that he is sharing with me. Praise Jesus!