My Family

I feel like I have a lot of potential entries in my mind but this one came into my head this past weekend so here it is.

It's often the little things in life that are the most meaningful. I can't believe I just wrote something as cliched as that on my very own blog but I am pretty honest and it's true so there it is.
I say that because its a big deal when I get an email from my non-immediate family (that is anyone besides my parents and sisters). I love them all and even see many fairly often but e-mail just generally hasn't entered our line of communications much. The other thing is most of my non-immediate family is not christian or at least not as "dedicated" as we may look to them. The idea of possibly doing christian work/missions for my whole life is at the very least unusual to my family. After all I'm smart, I have a college degree and I work pretty hard, I should have a normal, well-paying, entry level job right now right?
Instead I am an intern in South Africa with a christian ministry not getting a steady paycheck.

But here is the thing. Even though my family may not understand what exactly I am doing (or even agree with it) they still love and support me. Getting an email from my grandma this weekend was fantastic. She informed me that she just read my blog and liked it. A email I got from my other grandma just a few months ago struck me because of the concern it portrayed. Was I eating enough? Was I healthy? Was I learning a lot?
I know that my grandmas don't agree with all or even most of my beliefs on Christianity and life. But they love me anyway. That is something I value so much because I see people here who don't have what I have always taken for granted.
My parents supported me fully in coming here. I know its hard for my mom to have me be on a continent away for a year but she did everything she always does in prepping me for anything: making sure I had all my paper work in, took me shopping and never flinched about it at all.
My parents are white, protestant and republican but I am 100 % sure that if I came home as a gay, muslim democrat they would still love me just the same.

I am not sure if that many people read this blog besides my family but I just wanted to say thank you for all you do for me and have done for me. All the Birthday cards, christmas presents, holidays together, college tuition payments, rides home from school. I wouldn't be here today without you.

I love you and miss you all and am thinking and praying for you.

Be Blessed.