The past two years in Africa have transformed my understanding of relationships and particularly my role in relationships. When I was in the states relationships were easier and more natural as I rarely had to cross cultural barriers to form them. So I invest in the relationships that I was most comfortable in and in all honesty that I benefited from the most. However if I functioned like that here I would be friends with no one (except other missionaries). Here getting to know people is just plain hard work, because it requires leaving my world and entering theirs. As I have walked through this process the past two years and have worked hard to form relationships God has shown me that relationships were not ever supposed to be about me. This is something that I always knew in my head, but I am starting to learn what that means in reality.
Here are a few things that life has taught me about relationships…
- Relationships are about sacrifice
Sometimes we do things for others that we would not choose to do for ourselves - Relationships take time…so I need to find that time
We can't get to know people if we don't make time for them - I need to be willing to take the first step
No matter how much we feel out of place - Relationships aren’t about comfort
It is about leaving our comfort zone for the sake of others - Relationships are about walking through normal life with people
It is about doing the simple things of life side by side - The more a relationships become less about me, the more beautiful it becomes
Here are just a few of the many beautiful Relationships we have... Me and Cecil 
Joel and our Pastor 
Joel and Norbert (or the inseparable pair) 
Who are pretty much always working on one project or another together 
Seeing the beauty that results, reminds me that it is so worth the work!
Hey, Andi! That is so pertinent to us here in the USA, though I know you would chuckle at that. What a great reminder, as we have Fellowship Feasts at Evergreen Bible Church tomorrow! Relationships do take work and sacrifice! How true! But there are nuggets of joy and blessing, as well!
Thank you for sharing your life!!!!
Beautiful beyond words. God is certainly glorified in your work/relationships AND you & others get the blessings.