Thanksgiving Devotional

Today was my day to do the devotional in our staff meeting this morning.  I chose to share something very personal with my colleagues here in Namibia.  I told them about Thanksgiving being just a few days ago in the US and told them that I usually share what I am thankful for with my friends and family and so I wanted to share a personal 'thank you' devotional with them.  To my surprise, after sharing my piece (below) they all started chiming in with their own thank-yous to each other for specific things they appreciated one another for.  It was truly a great moment in my Peace Corps experience and so I thought maybe my Thanksgiving letter to my colleagues was worth sharing on my blog as well.

Thanksgiving letter to my colleagues here in Namibia:
On this Thanksgiving, 2012 I am thankful for....

• being given the opportunity to be here in Namibia
• being able to meet and work with all of you
• being challenged by the people and issues here and for the personal growth this has provided
• having an exemplary, motivated supervisor like Mr. Ya Otto (principal) to guide and help me but also to collaborate with on his journey to improve the standard of education in Namibia
• for making such great new friends and colleagues to laugh with and for some who are so amazing and devoted new friends that they comfort me even when I am violently ill in the local clinic and who share their family and culture with me by inviting me to weddings and events
• for working with people who love the learners unconditionally and devote their lives to educating and inspiring the next generation and giving up countless hours to work on their science fair projects or help them study for a spelling bee
• for learners who, though they get on my nerves sometimes, give me their hearts and minds for 40 minutes a day so I can do my best to teach and motivate them, and so I can once again see the world through the eyes of a child
• for the combi (minibus) that takes me to and from work everyday (and I hope it survives until the end of the term)
• being able to share my passion and talents with everyone here and for being received with open arms
• for being humbled by all that I do not know
• for being challenged and confronted with problems and arguments, but for coming out on the other side a better person for working through difficult issues and learning from them
• for you all (my colleagues) accepting and forgiving my sometimes harsh or aggressive American ways
• for all my family and friends supporting me back home
• for all my opportunities in life
• for being given a year here in Namibia that has provided me with countless hurdles, but also love, laughs and smiles

But mostly I am thankful for being given another year here, because although at first two years sounded like a long time, now, with only one year left, it feels too short.