Fortieth Birthday Party

I wish you had come to my spectacular fortieth birthday party yesterday!  Nearly 300 guests filled the premises of Boniface’s preschool, which Stephanie’s team had tastefully decorated using my favorite color of purple.  My newly commissioned painting was prominently displayed, with Leo as the docent explaining it to all who passed by.  Music by Bach, Pachelbel, Handel, Vivaldi, and Mozart — all novelties in a society unfamiliar with Classical music — set the mood.

Acquaintances from my family, church, work, expatriate community, ministry projects, and other circles mingled in the handwashing line, then awed over the ornately set banquet tables filling the large pavilion.  They took plates from their chosen seats to the serving line, where the cooks who’d been working hard for hours heaped them with rice, beans, chicken, salad, and beef turnovers.  Sporting French braided pigtails, I floated among my guests in the cheery spring dress Stephanie and I had found for $11 several weeks before, thanking God for beautiful weather after a week of chilly wind and rain.

At my request, last year, Jeremias wrote a play based on my life, and this year, Rosário recruited youth from our church to rehearse it.  By mutual agreement, the content was a surprise for me, presented at my party.  And, boy, was it amazing!  It accurately portrayed the highlights of my forty years, with apt casting and exceptional acting.  The extended impersonation of my director, hilarious in its true-to-life nature, created an uproar of laughter.

Between acts of the play, my director himself gave a homily on Proverbs 31:10-31, I Corinthians 7:32-35, and Galatians 5:22-23, citing me as an example of these qualities.  I spoke on my upbringing, employment, travels, conversion, reason for living in Africa, and prized gift of celibacy, with Deuteronomy 2:7c as my theme:  “These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.”  A youth choir praised God in exuberant harmony.  I attempted to blow out a trick candle on the largest cake Stephanie has ever made, then cut and served the dessert to the guests as they lined up with plates.

And of course there were presents!  True to local style, while the choir sang, guests filed past me on the stage to deliver their gifts while greeting me with a hug, a handshake, or kisses near both cheeks.  I opened the packages at home today:  eight colorful cloths, six water glasses, four water bottles, one mixing bowl, four food storage bowls, two sets of small glass bowls, a ladle, an apron, peanuts, almonds, chocolates, three necklaces, three sets of earrings, two bracelets, a watch, a hairclip, three journals, two pens, a bookmark, a toothpick dispenser, a soap dispenser, a basket, an umbrella, body lotion, and a framed portrait.  How generous my African friends are!

I have so many reasons to praise God.  He’s given me physical life, health, and strength for four decades, and eternal life through Christ.  He’s granted my dreams of singleness and full-time Christian work.  He’s given me a loving family who outdid themselves in working hard to guarantee a perfect party.  And even though you couldn’t make it, the 300ish guests who came were a good representation of the myriad of friends He’s lavished upon me.  Thanks be to the Lord for all His blessings!  May I use each one wisely for His glory.