So, you know when you come upon those times in life where you pause for a moment and take stock of where you are and what you are doing. I had one of those moments on Sunday as I was walking down Orchard Road in Singapore with some friends from Jakarta that were in town for a long weekend. The street was all lit up and a buzz with nightlife. There were many people out and about shopping, eating and going about their business. And strangely enough it all seemed so normal as I pushed Alex's stroller down the sidewalk, talking to my friends and going in and out of stores. But if you would have told me a year ago that I would be living in Jakarta and visiting Singapore for a medical trip with Alex to get his tonsils out, I would probably have thought you were crazy. Jakarta wasn't really even on our radar screen this time last year. My how life can change, in big ways, in such a short time. I think the hardest thing for to me have believed in this scenario a year ago is that I would feel so comfortable out on my own in a foreign land. I lived in Houston, Texas pretty much my whole life (my only time away being when I went to college) before this expat assignment and didn't really have much of a global prespective. I have been surprised by how easily my adjustment to this new situation has gone. And now that we live so far from home, the rest of the world seems within my grasp.
As I have met other expats living in Jakarta and aboard, I am have found myself in the minority being our first expat assignment. Many people we meet are on the expat circuit and have had several postings all over the world. And I am beginning to understand why. It really broadens your perspective of the world and people and affords you many amazing opportunities.
One of my best experiences with this has been in the small group Bible study that Justin and I have started in our house through the church we are attending. Last time we met we had 12 people attend, 4 Americans, 1 Canadian, 3 Indonesians, 1 Indian, 1 Malayasian and 2 South Africans. It is so cool to see how God is working in the lives of people all over the world. And it is so great to be reminded that the same God that I came to know and love in America is present and at work everywhere with faithfulness and consistency.
Okay, I know some of our family is reading this right now and thinking..."We are never going to get those Bethancourts back home in America." And all I can say is, "Who knows." One year ago I didn't think I would be where I am today. But am excited to go on whatever adventure God has for us.
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