This love affair begins way back. Like way back in 2006. I wanted to go to Africa. I was caught up in the whole “lions roaming around, tribal singing and dancing, the drum beats, the beautiful people” thing that is Africa in all our minds.Admit it. When you think of Africa you think Lion King. You see acacia trees and monkeys and giraffes scampering across your imagination. You have heard amazing stories of healings, deliverance, mass salvations, crusades,etc…You are fantasizing right now–i can just tell.
I was right there with you. I had these huge romantic notions of what Africa was going to be like and how God was going to use me there. I actually thought that as soon as my feet touched the African soil that Jesus himself would appear in the acacia tree and tell me to never leave.
HA!
Anyway, I was so completely wrapped up in this African notion that I decided to go on a short term mission trip to Africa. Except that as I googled for short term trips I continually saw this website for the World Race. Sitting in my little cubicle I read and read stories of these crazy people leaving America for a year and traipsing all over the world. It was simultaneously fascinating and terrifying.
There was no way I could do it. I had a mortgage, a fabulous job, an amazing community. Nope, no way.
I continued to live vicariously through the blogs and continued to search for the perfect short-term trip. We can skip the rest of the details and obviously I went and obviously I loved it. Who would have thought my little notion of a short term jaunt to Africa would lead us here?
Anyway, back to the story…
I blinked and found myself boarding a plane for Africa. The first three months of my 1st World Race trip were to be spent in Southern Africa…
