Here are a couple of pictures of kids who teach me about life!

The beauty of it all

So my time here in Africa is ticking down.

It’s unbelievable that the trip I have waited for my whole life is close to coming to an end.

Since I was in preschool I have had a desire for this beautiful continent.

Not knowing what country I wanted to go to, but just falling in love with the people in every one of them.

In two weeks I will be getting on a plane to head home.

To head home to a place that used to be so familiar to me.

To head home to the place I felt so comfortable living in.

I know it is time for me to go home at this time, but this place I called home will not be so familiar and comfortable any longer.

There will be the comfort of my wonderful family and friends, there will be the joy of eating food that I have dearly missed, but there will be part of me missing.

There will not be the early mornings with Mammas talking loud outside my window.

There will no longer be the kids continuously calling my name, “Auntie Grace!!” with their adorably loud voices.

There will no longer be the late nights of watching Grey’s Anatomy with all my new closest friends.

No late movie nights on the projector.

No more cooking food that takes 3 hours for each full meal.

Some of these things you might think that I should excited to not have, but I’m going to miss it ALL.

Yesterday was one of my favorite days since being here.

It was Halloween and we celebrated big in the Ekisa house.

It all started at 9 a.m. and we dressed up in costumes, we painted and carved watermelons, we made “sweetie bags”, had a dance party, ate funnel cakes, bobbed for apples, played with bubbles, and finally got to go trick-or-treating.

It’s these days I am going to miss most.

It’s the simplicity of playing and having fun.

It is absolutely beautiful.

These last four months have been the hardest four months of my life.

I have experienced things I never thought I would have to.

But these past four months have been the best four months of my life as well.

I learned a lot about myself.

The Lord has taught me a lot about him.

About his joy, his strength, his sovereignty, his perfect timing, and mostly about His extravagant love.

I have grown up here.

Spiritual I have grown up, and now Jesus is telling me to go and bring the things I have learned to my birthplace, Athens, GA.

Share what I Have learned.

Be the voice and speak the truth that has been continually spoken into me since the day I got here.

I am to go home and love the people who are “unlovely” to the human eye.

I am to go and put my love in action, just as Jesus did.

I am to go and plant my seed that has been waiting to be planted for some time now.

I am to go and serve.

Lead.

Be a light.

And Love.

Love.

Love.

This is not to say I am in Athens to stay.

I am not saying that at all.

As I have been reminded since the day I left I am in the journey.

I am living in this journey of life of not knowing where to go next and it’s ok.

So, I am taking a step and seeing if it is where God wants me.

And I will only know by lifting Him higher.

By bringing Him Glory no matter where I am in the world.

And by praying. Praying. Praying.

Praying to the one who gave me life to direct me in my journey in this life.

But for now I am to come home.

I do not know what is happening in my future, and I’m learning that that is ok.

I don’t have to know.

I just have to pursue Jesus with all that I am and do what He has asked me to do, which is to love.

This place will always have a place in my heart.

I WILL be coming back to visit, but I just have to take this journey one step at a time with Jesus right by my side.