Oh, the boxes!
In all reality, there aren't that many of them, but we all know I am NOT a big fan of planning or packing, and for the past two weeks, this whole Africa thing has required a lot (alot) of planning and packing. The last weekend of Spring Break, Aly and I came back to Jackson with our moms and Aly's sister and spent a stupidly large amount of money on everything we might need in the next two years. It was perfectly exhausting and overwhelming. Jill and Jeremy Kyser are already taking care of us, which is such an incredible blessing. In the midst of their own packing for Malawi as well as moving from their home to a Mo Heights mission house, they gave up all of their Friday afternoon and evening to follow us to Sams, Wal-Mart, and a lovely little teacher supply store (Jeremy opted for guitar center, I believe). I really don't think we would have made it through the day without them, though. They were so helpful in letting us know what we would or wouldn't need and assuring Aly and I that roughly 50 boxes of mac & cheese would be sufficient.
Anyway, I've been thinking (and trying not to think) about Africa a lot lately. Wednesday we are packing up a lot of our things (like all those things we bought last weekend-most of it is boxed already) and taking them to a warehouse from whence they will be shipped to Malawi. They'll get there about a month before we will. That whole process has been a little more than I could handle at times, and there have been a few tears shed (really- only a few). I felt like I couldn't breathe for about a week, but I'm finally recovered from that. I'm not sure what it was, but all of a sudden reality hit and I realized that I was seriously planning to move half a world away.
Now, don't get me wrong. I want to do this. Everything in me longs for it. But that doesn't mean it will be easy or always fun or whatever. This will change me. It will change my life in so many ways I cannot even imagine at this point. And right now I am unable to see past it. I can't comprehend what or who or where I will be after Malawi. Which is kinda scary. But probably good. Obviously good. He knows me. He is providing for me. He is protecting me.
So that's where I am right now. I'm still feeling a good cry coming on soon just for the sake of release (though this blog has helped). I know what God has called me to, and although I'm not truly ready to leave this place and the people here (as much as I say I am), I almost physically ache for Africa. I ache for the fulfillment of this promise, the realization of the potential, the future to become the present. I am excited about this journey. It terrifies me, thrills me, hurts me, inspires me.
But for now...
Boxes.
In all reality, there aren't that many of them, but we all know I am NOT a big fan of planning or packing, and for the past two weeks, this whole Africa thing has required a lot (alot) of planning and packing. The last weekend of Spring Break, Aly and I came back to Jackson with our moms and Aly's sister and spent a stupidly large amount of money on everything we might need in the next two years. It was perfectly exhausting and overwhelming. Jill and Jeremy Kyser are already taking care of us, which is such an incredible blessing. In the midst of their own packing for Malawi as well as moving from their home to a Mo Heights mission house, they gave up all of their Friday afternoon and evening to follow us to Sams, Wal-Mart, and a lovely little teacher supply store (Jeremy opted for guitar center, I believe). I really don't think we would have made it through the day without them, though. They were so helpful in letting us know what we would or wouldn't need and assuring Aly and I that roughly 50 boxes of mac & cheese would be sufficient.
Anyway, I've been thinking (and trying not to think) about Africa a lot lately. Wednesday we are packing up a lot of our things (like all those things we bought last weekend-most of it is boxed already) and taking them to a warehouse from whence they will be shipped to Malawi. They'll get there about a month before we will. That whole process has been a little more than I could handle at times, and there have been a few tears shed (really- only a few). I felt like I couldn't breathe for about a week, but I'm finally recovered from that. I'm not sure what it was, but all of a sudden reality hit and I realized that I was seriously planning to move half a world away.
Now, don't get me wrong. I want to do this. Everything in me longs for it. But that doesn't mean it will be easy or always fun or whatever. This will change me. It will change my life in so many ways I cannot even imagine at this point. And right now I am unable to see past it. I can't comprehend what or who or where I will be after Malawi. Which is kinda scary. But probably good. Obviously good. He knows me. He is providing for me. He is protecting me.
So that's where I am right now. I'm still feeling a good cry coming on soon just for the sake of release (though this blog has helped). I know what God has called me to, and although I'm not truly ready to leave this place and the people here (as much as I say I am), I almost physically ache for Africa. I ache for the fulfillment of this promise, the realization of the potential, the future to become the present. I am excited about this journey. It terrifies me, thrills me, hurts me, inspires me.
But for now...
Boxes.
