Finding a church was a lot more difficult than we ever imagined. If you've followed my blog you know that we've been looking for over a year. We've been to so many different houses of worship, several were wonderful... they just didn't feel 'right' for us. Many of the churches are self segregated down here and being an inter-racial family, we knew we didn't belong. Even at the bus stop in the morning children talk of 'speaking in tounges' or explain each other's behaviors as being brought on by the 'devil'. To say life in South Carolina is different than liberal Boston would be putting it mildly. What we wanted to find, we thought was simple. A place of worship where God was celebrated.. where people didn't sit in judgement of one another, where the focus was on service and love. A fully integrated environment where all cultures and people are celebrated. How hard could it be so close to what is known as the 'Holy City'.

It turned out we'd already found our church. We just didn't know it. Or should I say, we weren't ready for it. Hmmm... let me correct that, we found it, Kajal loved it and Mommy.. ran from it. It was the second church we visited, over a year ago. The church had grown so much that our town had a satellite church. They watched the pastor give his service on a large screen television and there was a band that played in the front of what felt like a theatre to me. It was much too different from the 17th century church I was used to and the angelic choir back in Boston.

After visiting countless other churches, I decided to once again visit this church. I'd met several people who I really liked it in the area and they'd spoken very highly of the services. The church is Seacoast. What I came to realize after walking back through it's doors was that I was the one that wasn't ready. I was so wrapped up in what I believed church was supposed to look like on the outside that I wasn't really listening for what was on the 'inside'. This church had the love, the service, the heart, that I was seeking. It just came in a different package.

I've always believed that God gives us signs when we're on the right path. The teachers of the children's program are amazing and incredibly compassionate towards Kajal. The church had recently launched a program to assist adoptive and foster parents, they have a program called Hope Epidemic that's bringing fresh water, literacy and medical care to third world countries (including India!) and they feed the hungry in their local community. People attending the services seem to come from all over and represent all races. The music doesn't seem so loud now, in fact, it seems just right. Kajal  walked out of her second class and when I asked her how it went, she smiled and told me that she had learned all about her 'gifts'.

What 'gifts' I asked her?

The gifts God gave me, that made me special...
 
and she went on to list the special qualities or 'gifts' that make her, her.

Kind
Friendly
Loving
Artistic

Ah yes, it took us a while but finally we found a church where we feel right at home and it feels good, it feels really good.