Thankful

This year I am celebrating Thanksgiving in Madagascar, the first time I've been away from my family and outside of America for the holiday. It's also only the second time I have missed the traditional family reunion Thanksgiving that my dad's family has been doing for over 50 years. So, I asked my cousin to say a few words on my behalf to all the family members that I won't get to see. Here's what I wrote:

This year marks my first Thanksgiving away from America, and only my
second time missing the big family gathering. It's rather interesting
to look at the holiday and its meaning in a completely different
context-- both geographically as well as mentally. Here in Madagascar
I find myself living in a land of indescribable beauty, but also among
heartbreaking poverty. I see school-age children running around or
working in the market, instead of sitting in a classroom, because
their family can't afford to pay the school fees. I see people with
distended abdomens and lack of pigment in their hair because they
don't eat enough protein. I see families looking longingly at the
fruit trees behind my house to see if there is any food to be gleaned.
And yet, even with all of this despair and need, there is still
beauty, and friendship, and happiness. Families spend time together
just sitting and enjoying each other's company. Kids find creative
ways to turn found objects into toys. Men get together in the evenings
to sing traditional songs. And Malagasy people show a touching
generosity to myself and one another, even if they can ill afford it.
Living this way for the past 9 months has taught me many things, but
one of the most important is an appreciation for the simplest things
in life. I find myself thankful not for a computer, a cell phone,
clothes, an iPod, or any other material things. Rather, I am grateful
for the fact that the water pump by my house is no longer broken, and
I and my neighbors can access clean water. I am grateful for my good
health, and the fact that I have the resources to deal with any health
problem that I may encounter. I am grateful for the fact that I have
just enough money to buy vegetables and fruit and the right kind of
food to keep me healthy. I am grateful for my friends back home, who
have not only not forgotten me, but have in fact shown such
thoughtfulness by sending me care packages and letters. And finally, I
am grateful for you, my family, because no matter where I am in the
world, and no matter how small my salary is, I know that you are
always a presence in my life-- and that is one of the most precious
things we can ask for.


Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, wherever you are, and may you have a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends, and a bounty of delicious food.