Thursday was my 25th birthday. I've been struggling with turning 25 since my best friend turned 25 over the summer. I even grief-journaled the loss of my childhood and early 20s while at training camp. (If you don't know about grief-journaling, just ask and I will try to explain it some day.) So my team (a.k.a. my J-Bay family) has known about this fear of thinking of myself as old since the first week. This past week was especially hard in realising that the days were not going to slow and I would have to be 25 sooner than I would like. I was never sure how to answer when people would ask me if I were excited about my birthday because the truth was, I wasn't. However, their excitement helped me start to be okay with my ancient age. Because I didn't want my birthday to occur this year I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, so I was comforted when I found out that they were planning a surprise for me.

As I was falling asleep the night before my birthday, GOD and I had a conversation that went a little like this:

Me- GOD I don't want to be 25 tomorrow

GOD- How old do you want to be?

Me- I don't really know, just not 25

GOD- You have a choice. You can be 25 or you can not be in Africa tomorrow.

Me- I choose Africa.

My birthday turned out fabulous. It wasn't anything too out of the ordinary. I did my usual Thursday ministry, which included moving lots of dirt. The cooking team made very tasty lasagna for dinner. Friends from town came over to hang out. Marco brought me a koeksuster and milk tart. After dark we stopped for coffee, then went down to Super Tubes beach and watched the stars and waves. I love that I can see Orion here in Africa and in the States. I learned that phosphorous in the water makes the waves look like they contain a green light at night. My team wrote me birthday messages on paper stars that are now taped to the wall above my bed. I feel so blessed to have spent this birthday with friends that have become family in this country that I love. I miss home often, but I know GOD brought me here for a reason. I have never seen HIS love and promises more clearly and that is the best birthday gift I have ever had.