Changes...

Change can be tough. And difficult. But today I am going to focus on the positive changes that I've seen on coming back to Cape Town after 13 months with Mercy Ships.

One change has been the marriage of two of my close friends, Brad and Lydia. They were married on Saturday, the 13th of December. It was a beautiful ceremony and I was so privileged to be here for their big day. Brad and Lydia were really instrumental in this whole Mercy Ships experience. They supported, encouraged and prayed for me when others maybe didn't see the vision and the dream. Had their wedding not been on the 13th of December I would have sailed with the Africa Mercy to Tenerife, and disembarked there. But as it was, God called me back to Cape Town for their wedding. And I was blessed to be able to witness this happy occasion.

Another change I noticed was my nephew Rhyenn. When I last saw him it was March (I was able to get home for a week-long vacation) when he was a little six-month-old baby. Now he is a large, energetic, 16-month-old! The photos here attest to the change seen in him - one from March and one from now. Just look at that hair!

One other change I've noticed is a change within myself. And it is a change that is important. I came back home, walked into my room, and thought to myself, "Wow, I have a lot of junk!" And so I have been tearing posters off walls, clearing out cupboards of unnecessary clothing, dusting my shelves, and having a major spring clean and general tidy of my room. Beforehand I would always hoard stuff, keep souvenirs and items I thought meant something to me. But now coming back home I see this materialistic lifestyle as completely meaningless. Thousands of Liberians live on practically nothing everyday. Why must I live in this luxury? What is the point of it all? So it all needs to go. I have discovered that simplicity is the key to life.

May you all have a blessed Christmas. And may you not only see, but also meet, the Christ of Christmas this year. God bless.