roomies.

Roommates.  I have four back at Trinity and I have four here in Ecuador.  I was pleasantly surprised when my luggage was taken to the room of five on the night I arrived in Quito.  I didn't realize that the familiarity of sharing space with four other girls would remind me so much of the love and community I left behind in Illinois.

It has been a pure joy spending the last three weeks getting to know my roommates and housemates.  I share a room with four beautiful girls who encourage me and make me laugh in every interaction.  I sleep in the middle bed of three in a row.  Bonnie, who I could tell had such a contagious, inspiring passion for the Lord and His word (along with a passion for animal Tees) sleeps to my left.  To my right sleeps Sarah, who makes me feel at home with her "tell it like it is" outlook on life combined with her love for cuddling.  Above Sarah sleeps Janie, who asks thought provoking questions and drops her phone off the top bunk almost every night at some point.  Straight across from me sleeps Kayla, who has a knack for loving people in a way nobody else can and keeps me company in the glowing lights of our computer screens late at night when everyone else has gone to sleep.

It has only been three weeks, but I feel like I've known this community for longer than that.  The way God has used my roommates and housemates to hug me when I want to cry, encourage me when I miss the encouraging words of my friends back home, feed me when my cravings for chocolate seem much too strong, and make me laugh when it doesn't seem possible has blown me away.  It took me a while to let myself be open and vulnerable with them about the things that are really going on in my heart, but when I finally did, I couldn't believe how blessed I was by their support.  I can already tell this community is going to be a blessing to my soul.  As the Bonster would say... Praise Him.

 [so much love already]

[if you can't be crazy with your roomies...who can you be crazy with]