That’s what I keep thinking this week. It feels a little surreal when I look at just how many huge prayers God’s answered the last couple weeks. I mean prayers from years ago to return to this land and its people. And many, many prayers over this last year of longing for community, to be in and amongst people, in the thick of what God’s doing.

I have to be honest that I feel a bit spoiled by the unbelievably generous love of God right now. I am overflowing with thankfulness, and working on receiving it well, which leads me to write.

Here’s what I am talking about.

To begin with, my husband went to great logistical lengths to get all 6 of us here, and continues to work hard every day on his contract work that is funding the time here.

The flight went better than we could have imagined it would, believe it or not, with no meltdowns, and fair bit of sleep. It took us about 28 hours to get here from airport drop off to walking up to this home, one really long night, and we were all still up for more exploring that first day.

When we arrived here we were greeted with not only beds for 6 strangers, but a stocked fridge and kitchen, and uncanny thoughtfulness. Wez and Paola, and their children Becky and Sam, have not only shared their living space, but their lives with us from day one. They have shared meals and games, nights out on the town and picnics in the park. They’ve read to our children and climbed trees with them. They have welcomed us into the church family so thoroughly that it feels like we have been here more than 2 weeks. It feels like we have been planted here and taken root already. God has done it again, surpassing my imagination with his goodness.

The original plan was to land here until we found a place of our own to rent, but after 10 days of looking for housing, getting to know the city and public transport, we were lamenting the thought of moving out to a place we could afford away from everyone here. So Wez and Paola generously offered to let us stay here in their house for the whole 6 months! I am still a little bewildered by how thoroughly God is taking care of us. How could anyone expect to move to another county with a family of 6 and have literally everything necessary provided? I only shop for groceries and feed my family in a fully furnished kitchen.

Then today Paola walked us into the school where she teaches, the school that we can see from the front door, to turn in applications for the older three boys. The school is highly sought out by many, but they will take our boys because Paola and Wez are willing to let us live here in the catchment and provided the necessary proof. Here’s a little bit that just tops it all off too, they have mandatory swim lessons for all students! We struggled to juggle and make it work back home, so this feels like such a gift.

So maybe you can see where I am feeling a bit uncomfortable with this downpour of goodness that I surely don’t deserve. I have been listless and lazy, impatient and unkind the last couple weeks, just to scratch the surface. But I am experiencing the love of God in real and tangible ways, and I can tell you that it’s His kindness that leads to repentance.

It all reminds me of these words of Jesus that have grabbed me. They are to his disciples as he sends them out in Matthew 10.

“We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cup of cold water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.”

I love this, and I am banking on it. How can I learn to love so generously, thoughtfully, and practically, as our new friends are loving us, if I am not willing to apprentice them by receiving? I think I had a glimpse of this before we came. I know that I have much to learn, and Jesus knows if I am anything it is an eager, though clumsy, student.