Editors’ Note: Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving nearly two months earlier than their southern neighbors in the US – this year it was Oct 9 for Canada and Nov 23 for the USA. We asked a few North American women living abroad what the Thanksgiving holiday means to them, now that they live on a different continent. Here is what our sister Louise Williams had to say: 

WTI: Where do you live and why do you live there? 

I currently live in Barcelona with my husband and two-and-a-half-year-old son. We asked God to take us where he needs us, where we can help his ministry, where we can love others, and where we can grow in our walk of faith. From all the global Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs I applied to (Singapore, Madrid, Paris, San Francisco, and Barcelona), he brought us here. 

Do you celebrate Thanksgiving? If so, why?

Yes, I celebrate Thanksgiving here. It is a great opportunity to love others, build a community and celebrate with our peers. We hope to continue to celebrate it as we build a community here for our family, as it encourages unity, relationship building, and allows us to share our faith with others.

We usually do a meal potluck style so that we are not overwhelmed with cooking all the food. It also allows others to share their own family recipes or buy something special for the group. 

 
 
What does Thanksgiving mean to you?

What I love about it is the fact that everyone is off work, and we celebrate time together and discuss what we are thankful for. I loved and appreciated the intimate, family bonding times that we had during Thanksgiving weekend growing up. I want to continue that tradition for my own family, especially as we have more children in the future, God willing.

What are you thanking God for this Thanksgiving 2023?

For Thanksgiving 2023, I am grateful to God for his mercy and love towards me, and how far he has taken me. When I look back in my life, I never thought that I would be where I am now. I grew up in poverty in the Philippines. When I was 10 years old, I moved to the US to a single mom with four kids in the middle of the ghetto. I fought tooth and nail to do well throughout my high school, which lacked proper funding and resources. I went to Syracuse University on a 90% scholarship where I found God and fell in love with Jesus. Since then I have lived in Istanbul, Turkey, where I served his ministry for a couple years; got experience as a Civil Engineer in San Francisco; married an incredible man of God who always challenges, encourages, and leads me back to Jesus; had an incredible first-born son who is so thoughtful, caring, and full of joy and energy; and now I am living in Barcelona, pursuing an MBA, while my family and I love and help the local ministry here as much as we can. My life is not absent of pain, struggles, and chaos, but through it all, I see how far God has taken me.  None of this is something I deserved; it was all a gift from God because of his great love for me. And the craziest part of it all is how much further God will take me throughout the rest of my life, not for me, but for Him, so that I can continue to dedicate my life to His great purpose.

Louise Williams is a lover of God, a global citizen, an MBA student, a wife, and a mom who currently lives in Barcelona, Spain. She became a disciple in Syracuse, New York in 2015. She has travelled to more than 40 countries and has lived in the Philippines, San Francisco, New York, Turkey, and Spain. She loves spending time and travelling with her hubby and two year old son, volunteering in the local community, and serving God's kingdom.