Not a Visitor Anymore...

I have had many moments in this new home, where I felt less like a stranger, and more like I belonged. Moments with my house-mates where we have shared laughs. Where I have convinced my non-crazy friends to do silly things with me, and they agreed, if only because they love me.

 …like the polka-dotted-umbrella-and-sunglasses-in-the-middle-of-the-coffee-shop idea. I belonged.

There was the root-beer float night with other young linguists. A night where I realized how much I love the linguist community and work, and how much of a nerd I really am. And I belonged.

There have been the nights when other expat workers have invited me for a meal, and showered me with love…

….in the form of picklettes and candy canes. And I belonged.

The moments where I walked with a 17 year old girl through the process of giving birth. I introduced her to her son, and we talked about names for him…

…and about how he didn’t have a daddy.

And I belonged.

The time when the beggar girls on the street remembered me by name because I took some time to feed them. And every time the little alley kids call “heylow!” because they see me.  A time when my patient looked into my eyes after a long and difficult birth and said, “Melissa, thank you for never leaving my side.”

There have been times when I sat cuddled on the couch at the clinic with my Filipina co-workers and talked about our families who live so far away, and how we miss them. Times when someone spoke to me in English, and I answered in Visayan, and we shared that little smile at the irony. Because I belonged.

Today, I had another one of those moments. I had a wonderful meeting with my local church this morning. I am one of two white faces, and among the tallest in the congregation. But together, we worship in a mixture of English and Visayan, and God meets us. We sing with all our hearts,

To God be the Glory, To God be the Glory!

To God be the Glory, For the things He has done.

With His blood, He has saved me,

With His power, He has raised me!

To God be the glory, for the things He has done!

And during announcements this morning a special applause was requested. Because “I think our sister is no longer a visitor. I think she is part of this church.” And I belonged.

After church, several young people came and introduced themselves. The girls asked how old I was, and where I lived. The guys held my hand long after the appropriate (to Americans) hand-shake-period was over, and commented on my height.  And all of us exchanged phone numbers and kisses on the cheek and smiles. The whole way home, my heart was smiling, and I was walking on air. Because I belong, I belong, I BELONG!