all the little things

i miss the little things about far off places

i miss the oranges in the african sunset

i miss the clack of chopsticks

i miss the smell of rain against a backdrop of cooking rice

i miss the lilt of words i can't understand

i miss different foods

i miss conversations that are missing half the words but nobody cares

i miss singing in gypsy

i miss getting to meet new missionaries

i miss learning about other cultures from the people that are in them

i miss that swing in the johnson's backyard

i miss exciting children's parks

i miss strange grocery stores

i miss not knowing anyone

i miss stumbling over words and having toddlers giggle at me

i miss walking everywhere i go

i miss simplicity

i miss dusky little faces and white teeth

i miss sitting across a room from a bunch of people and just grinning

i miss getting up early and reading my bible to an african sunrise

i miss the mysterious red moving guy from the xi'an expo

i miss dancing with three hundred chinese students

i miss eleven o'clock roommate sessions

i miss so many little, tiny things that don't seem like much, but that hurt me when i think of them.

and i want them back.

i want to stop missing them.

i want to go places, to see people and things i've never dreamed of before.

but i'm going to stay here anyway.

because for right now, this is where i need to be.

and i know i keep bugging you people with this same thing

but it hasn't ceased to be true.

and i'm happy here

and i love the people here

and i love the ministry i have here.

god is blessing it greatly, more and more everyday.

but god.

so i'll keep on missing it

and eventually it'll happen.

and i'll be even happier than i am.

- Kyla Denae