How blessed I am, I can call them friends.

Some of you may know but I went to California this past weekend.  One of my teammates from Last year in Africa got married.  Kristy (the bride) and I did just about everything together last year so I wanted to go and support her and see her get married. 

While there I stayed with another teammate from last year-Bethany.  Thanks girl for letting me stay with you.  Anyways there was a small reunion in which I got to see 4 of my old teammates.  It was amazing but weird at the same time.  I mean I lived with these girls for 9 months.  I know them and they know me.  But to see them out of the missionary world and out of Africa really made me think. “Would I be friends with these girls in the real world if Africa didn’t happen?” For some of them the answer was an easy one.  No I wouldn’t be friends with them.  Not because we wouldn’t like each other.  I’m sure we would but we just wouldn’t hang out  with the same crowd. 

It’s funny because on of my teammates here in GA keeps saying that she wouldn’t be friends with any of us in the real world.  And I got offended.  In my mind and heart I would like to think that everyone would be friends.  But this weekend I got a look at reality.  And it hit me how blessed I was to go to Africa not just because I learned a lot or got to help a lot of people but that I walked away with friends.  People who I wouldn’t have met and had a friendship with if it weren’t for my experience last year.  And I thank Christ for that.  That I am able to call Bethany, Lauren, Erin, Kristy, Leah, Shelley, Cassie, Bree, Katie, Sonja, Joe, and Shane friends.  They each have something that they have taught me to help me learn and grow to become more like Christ.  I am very thankful to them and to Christ for putting us together last year on a team to become friends.

Here are some pictures of the wedding and the small reunion.

                     
                              Sunset in Cali.  I love them.
                    
                      Bethany, Lauren and I before the wedding.
                  
                      Kristy walking down the isle to get married.
                           
     Lego World-Bethany, Lolo and I spent a day in Downtown Disney hanging out.