Skip to main content

The novelty of preparing to travel further.

In a month I will be in Africa.

It seems very random, and in a way it is. Yet it’s also a trip that has been in my heart for some years, and materialising for some months. And it seems like a huge endeavour, and yet it’s only for two weeks. So in the big scheme of things, just small moment of time, which I anticipate will be packed with many impressions that will leave their mark for a lifetime.

I’ve had the desire to go to Mozambique for a while now. Ever since I realised it was a Portuguese speaking country, and heard about the amazing work of Iris Ministries, my interest has been stirred. In Kansas City I had a neighbour (now good friend) who had lived there, and when she shared at the start of the year she was heading back for a trip I wondered if I should go. And decided not to. Life was full of enough things to deal with, and trying to figure out finances and holiday from work was just too much to consider.

But a seed was sown in my heart, and as I got updates from her, and life quieted down a bit, I realised that it was actually doable to go. And that I could also visit South Africa in the same trip. Contemplating back and forth led me to the same decision: to go after all, and hence the preparation started.

Travelling further afield does require quite a bit of preparation; which if looked at as a whole can be overwhelming, but if tackled bit by bit is quite uncomplicated. In a sense the processes; of applying for a visa (and calling the Embassy and having to talk Portuguese) and filling in applications to come volunteer at the Iris base, and going to the doctor to get malaria medicine; are all such good processes.  Processes that bring a thoroughness to the time of preparation, which in turn fuels the anticipation of going. And it also launches me on many a wander down memory lane to when I was busy doing visa applications for Brazil, and the privilege of living there that the visa gave me. Not that I’m moving to Mozambique... I will only be there a few weeks, but remembering the good Brazil years is good for the soul.

My thoughts and prayers have frequently travelled there, and being very inexperienced with Africa and the culture, there are many “wonderings” and ponderings. And yet with all the unknowns comes the excitement of getting to discover something new. The challenge of entering a new culture becomes an invitation to get another glimpse of the heart of God and the amazing diversity He created in people and nations.

And so I sit here on my lovely veranda typing away. It feels like summer here in Norway, having been a week of temperatures around 25-28 degrees Celsius. Very unusual for September, and very welcome to those of us who thrive in the sunshine. Maybe yet another preparation for the climate I will meet in southern Africa... There are still lists to write and things to buy, but I am excited. And in a month I will be there; going on a mini mission adventure in the midst of a life which has transitioned out of full-time missions.

I think this will be good for my heart.

Popular posts from this blog

Packing...again.

I just folded the last load of laundry and I’m almost packed. Off to the airport at 5am tomorrow morning, heading off to Amsterdam. I’m excited, a bit nervous, and wondering what it’ll be like. It’s been a good week at home with lots of quality time with family, especially the little nieces and nephew. I’m glad I’ll see them in April again. Well, not much to write and packing to be done and a bit of sleep would probably be a good idea too. Next time I write it’ll be from Amsterdam....
Read more

Single-tasking September: The art of single-tasking.

To change habits and ways of life, the motivation for change has to be strong, and the benefits outweigh the effort it takes to make the change.  For so long it’s seemed like the ability to multitask has been regarded as a great skill, but is it really a good thing? Recovering from burn-out, one of the effects I noticed was that it was harder to concentrate, and especially tricky trying to focus on many things at once. I’d try to multitask, only to realise that all tasks suffered from lack of capacity to complete any one of them. The challenge is that the habit of always doing many things at once goes deep, and when I tried to focus on just one thing, I found that it was actually really difficult.  As I did a little google search on the matter, I found it seems like multitasking isn’t as healthy as once thought, and that it doesn’t help productivity. Some even referred to it as “switch tasking”, in the sense that the brain isn’t doing many things at once, but shifting rapidly...
Read more

Small moments that mean a lot

Walking home on the crunchy snow that lights up a December evening,  I felt so thankful. The revelation that fellowship and being together is the best gift you can give someone, and realising that although it might seem small, it can turn into something big when a person feels seen and valued.  Yesterday I helped out with a crafts workshop for a group of lovely women volunteering for Crux where I worked before (well, in all honesty: they were making angels while I ate Christmas cookies, Quality Street chocolate, and chatted). I love walking alongside people in conversation, and realise sharing life for 2 hours can last so much longer in value and experience.  This evening we had our Christmas dinner for volunteers and people who are part of my current job. It was a delightful evening with many nations gathered around the same table…. eating the same food… and for a few hours creating a small fellowship moment that will become a good memory for the future. Often in my job ...
Read more