Joy in the Ordinary Things

After the intense time in the Solomon’s the transition to Fiji was relatively easy. The weather was several degrees cooler, the humidity nearly nonexistent, and every evening a cool breeze would usher in a magnificent rain storm. We have begun the process of finishing well.

People often ask me what is my favorite part of our work in Fiji. I answer the same way almost every time. The unexpected way God takes the ordinary moments and turns them into the most extraordinary and joyful moments. I have yet to be disappointed with this gift.

We would wake up each morning and our Fiji family would be waiting for us. Sometimes the children would stand outside our door and look under the curtain quietly waiting for their morning hugs. Carolina would have the baby cleaned and ready and I would get to snuggle her for a few moments before I got ready. This was pure joy for me.

Without complaint they drove us a mile down the road to where our team stayed. We longed to walk this road but they would hear nothing of it. We did get a few walks in but felt like children sneaking something over their parents!

We ate our meals inside the house which is reserved for guests of honor (also known as the elderly) and found total joy in the conversations with our host and table mates.

Each morning we would load our trucks with our medical equipment and pile in for the hour or so ride to the remote villages on Vanua Levu. Here I would sit between two of the loveliest ladies and we would chit-chat the whole way. These moments filled my heart with so much joy it was hard when we finally arrived to end our conversations.

We saw on average about 100 people a day and so I had an opportunity to visit some of the ladies in their homes. They were making mats and allowed me to sit and watch for a while. It brought them such joy when I took our pictures and said what lovely girls we were. The memory of those squeals of delight will always make me smile.