Another chapter

Psalm 103:1-5 reads,
"Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles."

That was my 'flip open the bible and start reading vs.' yesterday morning. The morning of my 27th birthday.
And today, right now, I can't stop crying about it. As I typed that just now the words settled a little deeper into my being. My heart cries out, my soul rejoices, my mind can't comprehend the full meaning.
My life reflects these words.
These tears rolling down my cheeks are caused by pure reverence and joy. The last three birthdays have marked some major milestones in my life, and unlike some girls who see the number 30 lurking around every birthday corner after turning 25, I celebrate because each one marks another year of a saved life.

Yesterday I got hugs from my favorite baby, one who wraps his arms around your neck and cuddles sweetly on your chest when you hold him. I sat, my arms linked with my patient whose tumor we couldn't remove, a disappointed child who still winked back with his only remaining eye at his nurse who could hardly hold back tears over the same disappointment. My heart is so perfectly content here, and a lot the appreciation has to do with where I came from, what my life used to be. My story with its many chapters.

So you may be asking how you celebrate you birthday when you live on a ship in Africa? Here is a pictorial of my day...

6:30 am. My roommate was psyched to come out bleary eyed in order for me to get a picture in front of our decorated hallway (that she stayed up late to help doing) Thanks roomies :)


This is my yearly salary. I'm not kidding! We get 'paid' 2 dollars a year in the form of a gift certificate for our snack bar.


So every year my mom makes our birthdays special by getting a balloon and various decorations together. She has always been so loving and thoughtful my whole life. When I listened to her message I cried along with her while she struggled through singing for me. She and my sister conspired with my roommate to have her set up everything they had sent, and the following three are my 'desk' as the day went on.




Even though Ali ran from the dining room when the bell was rung and the (dreaded) communal singing began, leaving me alone to face the crowd, I forgave her and we stood side by side during afternoon handover in front of our shared birthday cupcakes.



And then promptly stuffed our faces with them...literally.



Its hard when living in community to go out as a small group. In thinking up what to do, with a big party already planned for Saturday (4 of us are turning 20 something this week), the former 4341 girls (Anouchka left us for a bigger and better 3 berth) set out for a night of delicious Indian food. We even got dressed up which is even more rare than going out in small numbers.


Be impressed..I took this picture of us myself. I've clearly got skills.


The owner of this Indian restaurant is so sweet. We told him it was my birthday (as if all the decorations sent from home weren't evidence enough) and he brought us wine and a yummy (partially burn-your-tongue spicy) platter of food on the house. He also went around the corner and picked these flowers for me. You know you're in Africa when someone can just grab a handful of wild flowers and they look like this...



Balloons and ribbon from home-


Although there was no official cake (surprisingly birthday cake is not on the menu of an Indian place in Africa) I wanted to light the candles my mom sent anyways. This is my face while attempting to do so... with an overhead fan whipping around and a strong African breeze. I had to add it because of the laughs that ensued after Sandra realized what she had captured and shared with all of us. Besides, its funnier to put pictures of yourself looking like a goofball than it is to only publish the ones that you like. Lets change it up a bit.


Success!


Yesterday was so special, there isn't room to explain how much everyone means to me. My mom and her "momness" with sending everything was so sweet, the essence and evidence of what an incredible woman she is surrounded me all day. My dad sent the sweetest gift he has ever given me, the sentiment behind it being the driving force behind my absolute love for it. My sister, I can't even begin to describe, wrote a note that I will forever cherish (and brought me to tears over and over again throughout the day). My roommates, friends, coworkers, I honestly can't believe the love I felt yesterday.

The fact that I turned 27 in Africa seems so fitting. My story is of a girl whose life was redeemed from the pit. While my eyes were cast down at the ground in shame, I was crowned with love and compassion. My inner most desires have been met exceedingly over and over again.
Each birthday that passes reminds me of my renewed youth. I don't deserve it, yet I don't owe anything for it either. Its a gift.

I am forever grateful.