When a simple dream became an unexpected expression of love.
I have always believed that some of life's greatest treasures are not the things we acquire, but the memories we collect, the places we discover, and, most importantly, the people whose lives become intertwined with our own.
For years, I have had a simple dream.
As someone who has been blessed with opportunities to travel, serve, and experience different cultures, I have developed a love for collecting flags from the countries I visit. To me, these flags are far more than colourful pieces of fabric. Each represents a place, a people, an experience, and a chapter in the story God continues to write through my life.
I have often imagined what I would do with these flags someday.
My dream was that when I am old, perhaps with grey hair and a lifetime of stories to tell, I would have all those flags sewn together into one large blanket. I would wrap myself in it, finding comfort not only in its physical warmth but also in the warmth of the memories it carried.
Every colour would tell a story. Every flag would remind me of somewhere I had been, someone I had met, a friendship formed, a lesson learned, or a moment that changed me.
It was a dream I treasured, but one I expected to fulfil much later in life.
Then something extraordinary happened.
Some time ago, I casually shared this dream with my assistant. I never imagined that this simple conversation would become something so meaningful.
During our annual Africa Regional Finance Training, my team surprised me with a gift that left me almost speechless.
They had begun making my blanket.
Spread before me was a beautiful, colourful creation, with flags stitched together across both sides. But these were not simply flags from my travels. They were flags representing the countries of the very people with whom I have the privilege of working.
And on some of those flags were their signatures.
I was overwhelmed.
Here was a dream I had imagined for the distant future, suddenly brought to life by the thoughtfulness, kindness, and love of the people around me.
I struggled to find words adequate to express what I was feeling.
In that moment, I realised that this blanket represented something even greater than my original dream.
I had imagined a blanket that would tell the story of the places I had visited. My team had given me a blanket that would also tell the story of the people who had walked alongside me.
And that distinction means everything.
More Than Colleagues
Working in regional finance and administration is not always easy. Our days are often filled with budgets, reports, reconciliations, deadlines, difficult decisions, and the responsibility of stewarding resources entrusted to the Church.
Sometimes, in the busyness of the work, it is easy to forget that what makes our ministry truly meaningful is not found in spreadsheets, financial statements, or successfully completed audits.
It is found in people.
People who bring their unique personalities, cultures, experiences, talents, and perspectives to a shared mission.
People who support one another through challenges, celebrate victories together, and remain committed even when the work is demanding.
People who, somewhere along the way, become so much more than colleagues.
As I looked at this blanket, I saw more than national flags. I saw the faces of my team. I thought about our conversations, our laughter, the challenges we have faced together, and the countless ways each person contributes to our ministry across Africa.
I was reminded that although we come from different nations and backgrounds, we are united by a shared purpose.
And in one extraordinary gesture, they reminded me that I am appreciated, valued, and loved.
That is a gift no amount of money could ever purchase.
A Dream That Is Still Unfolding
The blanket is not finished. There are more flags to collect, more countries to visit, more friendships to form, and, God willing, many more memories to make.
But now, whenever another flag is added, it will become part of something that already carries an extraordinary beginning.
My team has given me far more than the first pieces of a blanket. They have given me something tangible that I can carry into the years ahead, a reminder of the people who made this season of my life special.
I can imagine myself many years from now, sitting quietly, wrapped in that completed blanket.
Perhaps I will run my fingers across its seams and remember the streets of cities I once explored, the churches where I worshipped, the communities where I served, and the people who welcomed me into their lives.
And then I will come across these first flags.
I will remember my finance team.
I will remember our annual training.
I will remember the surprise, the emotion, and the extraordinary love behind this gift.
And I know that even after many years have passed, this memory will still bring a smile to my face.
The Warmth of Being Remembered 
This experience has reminded me of something deeply important: sometimes the greatest expressions of love come from someone simply listening, remembering, and acting with kindness.
I shared a dream. Someone remembered it. And a team of wonderful people decided to make it a reality.
To my Africa Regional Finance Team, thank you.
Thank you for the work you do, for the commitment you demonstrate, for the sacrifices you make, and for the grace you extend to me as we serve together.
But most of all, thank you for seeing beyond my role and responsibilities and recognising the person behind them.
You have given me a treasure I will carry for the rest of my life.
I began collecting flags because I wanted to remember the places I had been.
You have reminded me that the most beautiful part of any journey is not necessarily where we go, but who walks with us along the way.
And someday, when I am old and wrapped in this blanket, I know I will be surrounded by far more than fabric.
I will be wrapped in memories.
I will be wrapped in gratitude.
And thanks to you, I will be wrapped in love.
