As the air turns crisp and colorful leaves signal the wind down of another year, it’s hard not to reflect on the times we’re living through. The recent U.S election season left many of us feeling exhausted—an understandable result of so much debate, stress, and uncertainty. But while we weathered through the debates and issues, I also found myself focusing much of my energy on a very important client, Friends in Solidarity (FiS), a mission and ministry organization that serves African communities facing unique and harrowing challenges halfway around the globe.

This year, I’ve had the privilege of crafting communications for FiS, amplifying the voices of those striving for peace in South Sudan. It has been a humbling experience, one that shifts your perspective. Through the stories and reflections of those enduring South Sudan’s ongoing civil war, I’ve come to see how small my challenges are by comparison.

South Sudan’s civil war, which has spanned more than a decade, has claimed over 400,000 lives and forced 4.3 million—a third of the population—to flee their homes. Countless others remain displaced within the country, often in dire conditions. Even now, nearly 8 million South Sudanese face acute food insecurity, with over 2.3 million children suffering from malnutrition. Yet, despite these unbelievable stats, the people I’ve come to know through my work exhibit a strength that is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

This work has been about more than delivering projects; it’s taught me deeper truths about myself. Consulting on communications and online content for FiS has challenged me to expand my professional horizons, surpassing the limits of what I once believed I was capable of achieving. More importantly, it has reminded me of what truly matters—of the difference between what I need and what I simply desire. When you hear about or see firsthand the joy that can exist in those who ask for so little, it’s impossible not to reflect on your own blessings.

I am deeply grateful for my journey, the mission-driven partnerships I'm building, and the lessons I’m learning along the way. Perhaps the most valuable of these is the realization that I am right where I need to be—using what I know exactly how and where God wants me to in this moment.

In our troubled times, politics can help...or hurt. Policies can unite or divide. This Thanksgiving season, my prayer is simply for peace—for our families and communities here in the States as we prepare for whatever the next four years will bring, and for those overseas who continue to face unimaginable hardships. From South Sudan to the Ukraine to the Middle East, we are all connected, not by proximity, but by our shared humanity. Every life holds immense value, and I’ve found a humble joy in work that allows me to serve others and contribute to something greater than myself. Of all the lessons I hope to teach my son, this is perhaps one of the most meaningful: to live with gratitude and compassion and understand the power of small acts to create a better world.

May we take this season of gratitude to pause, reflect, and thank our higher power for the blessings and grace in our lives. In recognizing what we have, let’s carry that gratitude forward—not just in words, but in how we show up for others, including our neighbors both near and far. Let’s do what we can to welcome a little more love into our own hearts...and watch the world begin to change.❤️

(Photos courtesy of Friends in Solidarity. 2024)