Never one for birthday parties, but wanting to side-step what I presumed to be an inevitable post 20's depression, I planned a grand 30th Birthday Traveling Adventure well over a year ago. However, despite all of my out of character forward thinking and all those months of traveling anticipation, I found myself alone and in Nagishot on the 14th of September.
However, something pretty incredible happened. I had a pretty great birthday!
I spent the morning weeding my flourishing garden. I had cheese for lunch. I met my Didinga friend's brand new healthy baby girl, Katherine Nganga. I watched the first part of, Gone with the Wind, while eating dark chocolate. I opened 30 presents from the Hildebrandt family. Packages that included things like:
1 candle
2 loaves of bread
6 bouillon cubes
9 potatoes
14 pieces of toilet paper
19 Starburst candies
22 Bible verses
24 chocolate cupcakes
30 words of encouragement
30 Presents!!!I went on a long, quite unexpectedly, muddy walk at dusk and then sat around the fire, talking (ok, mostly trying to decipher the Didinga, Arabic and Acholi being spoken) and eating chocolate cupcakes with the compound.
I didn't spend the 14th jumping out of a plane over a red sand dune in Namibia. I didn't celebrate with my closest friends or family. There weren't 30 candles to blow out or secret birthday wishes to ponder. There was no grand Zambian - Namibian adventure or wild night out on the town. Yet, it was special. It was sweet.
The Didinga people don't celebrate birthdays or keep track of their ages in years. And really, I suppose the idea of a birthday should not be to number an individual's days, but an opportunity to show our friends, our children, moms, dads, sisters and brothers just how much they are loved. How we see Jesus working in their lives.
And on my birthday, I truly felt loved. I did not feel alone, but in the company of Christ. I felt special and cared for. It was a day in which I was once again blessed with the sweet reality that I am held and protected by the Father of Lights. It was a good day to be 30 years YOUNG!!!
We can just call that mud,though the cows all might call it something else...
2 comments:
Happy Happy Birthday! 30!!!!
Kim, all these photos are so great. I feel as if I just spent an hour with you as I've read through all the posts and pondered all the images. Look at you, little missionary woman! I smiled when I saw the fresh basil and remembered how happy you made the house smell when you'd bake up your homemade trader joe pizza with fresh basil. You are an amazing woman, Kim. You will be on my heart and in my prayers this week as you explore your world with 30 year old eyes. Sending lots of love, Robin
Happy Belated Birthday my friend! So glad to hear it was enjoyable. It's so cool to see what God is doing in your life. Much love, Fonda
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