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

Finding pockets of life (and a bubble-tea metaphor).

“Where can I find life?” has been a question I have asked myself a lot recently (but really for years). And really the deeper question is: “What is life, and what does it look like?” I guess the simple answer is whatever makes you feel alive on the inside; that brings a smile to your face; and that gives you energy and increases your capacity. There are so many side-effects of burn-out; or maybe they are rather causes of burn-out, which when combined become a huge mountain that can topple even the strongest of people. But once you have been depleted of your capacity to stand in the face of the challenges around you, one of the things that can help increase your energy and capacity is finding pockets of life. (And of course a lot of other things like rest, exercise, patience when the process is slow, setting boundaries etc. but that’s for another blogpost). The past months I’ve been watching and searching and paying attention. Searching for choices that will bring life, and paying att
Read more

There was a before and there will be an after.

“Do you really think it will go over?” A question posed as I was chatting to someone over coffee this week (with distance of course). My immediate response was that yes, I really do think it will go over, but I don’t know when or what it will look like. I don’t know when we’ll be back to “normal.” But to be honest, I am not sure I really want things to go back to being as they were before ... The past seven weeks have been so very different. Social distancing, staying one meter away from others, having permanently dry hands from antibac and washing hands a lot, and having to limit most interaction with others to a screen, have become part of everyday life. And of course the distance and isolating part of this “normal” I have no desire of seeing become part of the after . But at the same time I see good growing in this time of crisis; good that I do want to bring into the after , and what will become my normal when this crisis comes to an end. Time. Whether we like it or not, o
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 the focus is o
Read more