T minus 30 days Part 2
- Caitlin Parsley
- Aug 7, 2019
- 4 min read
Hello Everyone! This is wild, but I have exactly one month left at my site before I head to Pretoria to wrap up administrative and medical stuff. I will officially be back in Minnesota September 20th. So get ready for hugs, coffee dates, and long chats that are coming your way!
With only 30 days left at site, I thought I would do a bit of a full circle post. 30 days before I left for South Africa I wrote this post where I listed 30 things I was grateful for in that moment. Some of the things I knew I was giving up for 2 years and others are things I have been blessed to still have while in South Africa.
With that, it seemed fitting to do the same thing here as my close of service is just around the corner. So here is my current Peace Corps gratitude list: 30 things for 30 days. If you go back and read the first list, you can see how I aligned the list below to match up with it.
1. The smell and sights of jacaranda trees in full bloom
2. Rooibos tea: I know I can find it state side, but still. It’s just not quite the same.
3. The Ntulis: My host family has loved me and cared for me like their own daughter/sibling these last 2 years. I don’t know what I would do without them.
4. Mini Fridge: Tiny but mighty and always cool ;)
5. Baths: Enjoying a bath is normal here and I appreciate being so understood on this matter.
6. Taxis: I might not be able to drive, but the ever reliable and simultaneously unpredictable taxi system will always be close to my heart.
7. New friends: Whether they are other PCVs or South Africans, I have met some of the most incredible people here and am so grateful to call them all friends.
8. Wifi: It’s not quite as magically fast, but I am so grateful for all the calls home I can make because my host family has wifi!
9. Pit Latrines: I still appreciate a good flushing toilet (which I do have!) but there is something special about the pit latrine experience. Especially if it has a nice view of the landscape so you can enjoy God’s creation while doing your business. Beautiful.
10. The Dam: My quiet place. My secret place.
11. Cold drink: mmmmmm coke with real sugar on a hot summer day.
12. Shweshwe patterns everywhere: The patterns of traditional clothing in South Africa are simply gorgeous.
13. Bopanang Primary School: Halala Bopanang Halala!
14. Worship here: I don’t get to church every Sunday, but when I do, I am always overwhelmed by the power and beauty in the worship. So blessed to be a part of it.
15: Doing Laundry: My host family does have a machine which helps greatly, but I always enjoy hanging up my clothes on the line to dry each week.
16: Letters from learners: I can always count on these letters to lift my spirits on a bad day.
17: Hammocking in my room: Not a lot of trees to hang in around my house, but inside hammocking is still like a floating hug.
18: Mountains: Going to miss these views and hikes like crazy.
19: Wine: Cheap. Delicious. Enough said.
20: Roaming chickens, goats, and cows: especially the babies!!
21: Avocado season: YOU CAN JUST PICK THEM FROM THE TREE (and then wait about 3 weeks for them to ripen)...but still!
22: Limpopo hospitality: the warmth, the servitude, the food, the love. I learned so much about radical hospitality from my neighbours.
21: My heater: thank you for keeping me warm on these cold winter nights.
22: Singing. Always.: Morning assembly, weddings, funerals, workshops. The harmony is always glorious.
23: Sunsets: God really displays His creative genius in these South African sunsets.
24: Tuck shops: A quick tuck shop run has saved me time and time again when the cravings hit or I run out of bread or eggs. Who wouldn’t want a bag of #hello snacks for R3?!
25: My kindle: I’ve been able to instantly read new books with the power of this lovely technology. Check out Prayer: 40 Days of Practice by Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson
26: Tears: tears of joy, frustration, sadness, and confusion. I’ve grown so much in it all.
27: That 40% volunteer discount on chacos: Time for a new pair!
28: Getting mail: Nothing like opening my PO Box to find a letter or package from my loved ones back home!
29: God's new mercies each morning
30: YOU! Thank you for taking your time to read my blog these last 2 years, supporting me in my adventure with your thoughts and prayers, being intentional about staying in touch, and making the world a better place wherever you are. Keep it up!
The list could go on and on. And these pictures only capture a sliver of that never ending list. I’m seeing that the more I choose gratitude, the more things I find to be thankful for. I encourage you to throw a little extra gratitude into your day, your relationships, to God, and to yourself. Thanksgiving really is a powerful thing in a world full of complaints, anxieties, and self-centredness.
Maybe that’s why Paul reminded us in Philippians 4:6-7 to turn to prayer through thanksgiving rather than anxiety. Or consider Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Or 1 Thessalonians 5:18 where we are encouraged to “give thanks in ALL circumstances for it is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.” Gratitude seems like a pretty big part of the life of believers. I know it’s something I am practicing daily.
And as grateful as I am for the present moment, I am also looking forward to what’s ahead. You bet I have a long list of things I want to do and foods I plan to eat when I get home. But until then, I’ll just soak up what God has given me today and praise Him with thankfulness.
God is good and I am grateful.
Thanks for being YOU,
Cait
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