the long goodbye...

So the goodbyes have started...
I hate long drawn-out goodbyes, it only makes people depressed.

Today is T-09 until I'm off!

My current abode is gradually becoming devoid of 'stuff' as I make the trip back and forth to my parents to drop it off there (my parents are wondering why they didn't build that extension years ago to house it all!). Someone has appeared to live here after me - Praise the Lord, it was looking empty for a while, but just at the right time...

Last week it was Salsa goodbyes, last weekend it was goodbyes for some good friends from down South and the big leaving weekend is looming...

And through it all I'm still remaining completely cool, calm and collected. I was worried that I was in denial about something and that panic would suddenly descend and chaos ensue. But no, I think this is just the peace of God that passes all understanding. And it's great.

It's also great being able to go...
'Ah well, I won't be seeing you soon, because next week I'm moving to Africa.' and watching the reaction. Priceless.

Oh, and last week, a guy in starbucks thought I was 24. Result. ;-)

Visa-tastic!

Well, after much faffing around I am finally in possession of my volunteer visa (and therefore also my passport!) valid until August 2008. Nice.
Thanks to all who prayed and to God who provided.

the reason why...

Yet, when you see 'little wonders' like these, all of the worries seem to fade away to nothing and I remember that God has called me to go and therefore that's where I'm supposed to be and EVERYTHING else, no matter how uncomfortable, is taken care of and in HIS HANDS.

Isaiah 61 is the main Psalm that surrounds me as I prepare to go... tried to copy and paste it here, but I couldn't so you'll have to actually get your Bible out and look it up. It's amazingly relevant actually... 

honest observations

Here's another link, in case you have a spare hour or so and would like to read what it's really going to be like for me living at GGA. The Taubensee family from Canada spent 6 months living and working at GGA from Jan to July this year, and they have made some fascinating and honest observations on their blog:

http://gowellstaywell.blogspot.com

Looks like I should be getting ready to live alongside lots of creatures, especially frogs!

Having just spent a while reading the entire blog from start to finish, I've found myself excited and challenged by the kinds of experiences and adventures I'm likely to be surrounded by. 'Keep an open mind' is my first mantra, 'Just go with it' will probably be the second.
Having studied and experienced culture shock and transition I know to expect some wobbly moments when I get there, and indeed during my time there too. Living in Africa will be way further down the scale than even the slummiest of Italian cities. It's going to be one of those 'having to trust God every second of the day' adventures, where nearly all 'normality' will go out of the window... Counting my blessings will become uppermost in my thinking, and prayer will become as instinctual as breathing....

It's easy to write that from my comfy sofa and, relatively, high-speed internet connection here in the UK. The fun starts when I'm sleep-deprived, bug-bitten, hot, dysglycaemic and missing starbucks... That's when the trust bit really starts to kick in....

Three weeks to go!

So, 3 weeks today I'll be on a plane heading to South Africa :-)
Getting nearer...

Feeling quite organised actually, which is good as I'm suffering slightly from my last few injections yesterday - Hep B and A. Still, this too will pass and I'm sure I'll be feeling better tomorrow in time to head over eastwards to catch up with my sister and husband!

But until then, it's a perfect excuse for lying on the sofa watching a film...

Skype-tastic

Having had to put up with several one-way conversations with my friend S, I've finally downloaded Skype! And now we can chat for free over the computer!!!! It's great!
I think everyone should get it and then (when the internet is working down at GGA - it's a bit temperamental apparently) I can talk to people for free from my computer to yours!

Find out more at www.skype.com. It doesn't take too long to download - about 40mins on dial-up, which is not bad...

Don't get sucked in to buying an expensive phone to plug in, I've just got a headphone with attached microphone set that works just as well! Nice.

Thanks to all my techy friends for above advice.

Tim, chat soon, I've got you in my friends box already! Can't remember the time difference from here to Mexico City?

Leaving PARTY!!!

So it's getting to that stage of preparing to go, it's all finally coming together.
If you are around for my party, do pop in and say 'hi/bye'...

Also, I don't want leaving presents (where would I put them in my extremely small weight limit!?), unless people really really want to get me something... If anyone would like to donate towards a vehicle though then that would be amazing. See below...

The story goes something like this. One of the GGA 4x4s recently got trashed somehow in Africa on dodgy roads and now we haven't got enough cars to get all the kids to school in the morning. I even heard something about one of the handicapped children not being able to go to school at all at the moment due to lack of vehicles...
I've written to several car companies asking for help, but only 2 have got back to me so far with polite 'no, sorry we can't help you' letters. The other 3 - LandRover, ChryslerJeep, and Nissan have not got back to me at all...
So it's looking increasingly likely that we'll need to raise some funds to buy a second hand car out there, and in addition I won't be stranded at the weekends on site and will be able to get off to various places. It seems more sensible to me to raise enough for a good 4x4 that can be used to take kids to school, rather than me just buying a little secondhand car for myself, that way it can stay there when I leave and belong to GGA rather than me...
So if you would like to donate, get in touch. Or if you know of people who work for the above car companies, or others, or if you have a spare 4x4 lying around in a garage in KZN, get in touch too... ;)
Thanks for spreading the word and playing your part in changing these kids' lives...

visa - the saga continues...

So here's an update....

Mrs H, a friend from here who is going out to GGA this weekend and will be covering my office for some of the time until I get there in a few weeks, is having visa trouble too... She leaves on Saturday and currently her passport and/or visa is either in London, in the Royal Mail system or somewhere else gone awol... She IS leaving on Saturday, therefore her passport will be returned to her before she goes. Stand with me in covering her trip to London tomorrow in prayer, that whatever happens the end result would be that she has the relevant documents in her hand by the time she departs this weekend. God is sovereign, even over administration people and His will WILL be done. This not up for discussion.

I've now got a proper doctor's letter and an apology from the nice Dr who didn't understand what she was supposed to write in the first place. It wasn't her fault, extremely badly expressed documents from the visa people as to what they wanted.

However, the London people didn't get back to me for tomorrow so I will not be heading there. I'm trying to get in next week sometime. (you have to book via email and 7 days in advance for a time slot, they don't answer the phones - helpful.) I'm feeling ok about it all and know that God's in control of the whole situation, not to worry. Mother-daughter quality time has merely switched to a closer city instead.

Actually the concept of worrying is in fact unbiblical. Jesus tells us in several places in the Gospels not to worry, almost as if it is a command. If we truly believe that, then we need to bring everything to Him in prayer and leave it for Him to sort out, knowing and trusting that He'll sort it out according to His plan and purposes. We know that I'm going to Africa as well as Mrs H, and therefore He will make it happen, by miraculous ways if necessary, just to show who's really in charge around here.

(oh, and to any of my blog friends who are tempted to tell me to 'stop going on about God all the time', save your typing... telling me to shut up and not talk about Him.... NEVER GONNA HAPPEN, get used to it! Someone tried that with some of the apostles once... check out what happened in Acts 4v 18-20 ;-) )

the to-do list...

Monday. Therefore a productive day.
Decided to write a 'to-do' list for all the things I have to do before I leave...
It's crazily long...
... but boring so I won't bother to put it on here.

Had a great weekend in Brighton/Hove, celebrating several Birthdays (Hello to the BIFC posse!)... Got to speak to loads of people about South Africa which was great, you never know who might be interested in coming out to help, it's always good to keep people informed of what's going on out there too... If you've never been to Brighton, it's a decent place to hang out, kind of shabby-chic, cosmopolitan although it seems rather expensive, probably because of all the Londoners who pop down regularly... Beach huts cost around £10,000!!! (for what is essentially a shed with a pretty coloured door) The world has gone mad... Actually we spent all of the weekend in Hove, the centre of Brighton being seemingly closed off for a Pride parade.

Learnt how to BBQ using those disposible ones, learnt not to put them out with orange juice (try it, it stinks), learnt not to attempt the M25 on a Friday afternoon, learnt that praying away a stomach bug when one has a long church service to go to really works! Praise God!

If you are ever looking for a Church family in Brighton, go to BIFC (Brighton International Faith Centre) which meets (currently) in the basement of 51a Selbourne Rd, Hove at 11am on Sundays. You'll leave a changed person, having had some quality spirit-filled time with some real, authentic lovers of God. The church is only small at the moment, but watch it grow!

Learnt that God continues to pour down his blessings and to give me more and more each time I spend time with Him. He's giving me insight into my future ministry, even beyond GGA, and as I walk into that destiny it's so exciting. I'm really excited about going to Africa, leaving in one calendar month, and all that's going to happen out there, for the transformations that will take place, for the renewing of my mind, for the people who I'll meet and for the way God is bringing about renewal, revival and change in the lives of the children of GGA. The journey of faith is surprising, challenging but never dull!

Visa prayer request

(If you don't believe in the power of prayer, bringing all things before our great Almighty Creator God Father in heaven, then skip this post)

My visa is proving more difficult than I originally thought.

Would you pray for several specific things:

• that the Drs letter I am getting on Wed would be sufficient and not contested.
• for acceptance of my bank details as proof of monthly financial support.
• that the immigration people would get back to me soon re an appointment for next thurs
• that it would become clear whether I have to pay that £600 - some others who are going with me seem to have not had to pay. I'll pay it, but not if I don't have to...
• that I wouldn't worry about the whole process, but know that He is in control, even if it all seems a bit crazy.

My next appointment in London (combined with quality mother-daughter time, so it won't be a completely wasted day if it all goes pear-shaped) is hopefully on Thursday 10th around 11am, tbc. I need a nice clerk to talk to who is helpful and gets the visa processed as efficiently as possible.

God knows the situation, He loves it when we include him in it and He will surround me with boldness to say the right things. It's great to have you onboard supporting this whole venture in prayer. Be blessed. Cx