First of all, I owe any remaining readers of my blog an enormous apology for not keeping my blog updated.  I would say that I will amend my ways and become a faithful blogger, but instead of saying it in words, I'll hopefully just say it by doing it. ; )

 

I am leaving for Africa tomorrow!!!  That might just be the most surreal sentence I've ever written.  We have a 15-hour flight to DUBAI (I know, right?!!), stay the NIGHT there and get to gallavant about the city, then fly 8 more hours to South AFRICA, then finally arrive at our destination: SWAZILAND!!!!!!!!!!!! : D  Is this really my life?  And did I really just spend a restful day washing clothes at the laundromat (a blessed change from hand-washing my clothes w/ a toilet plunger!) and baking cookies one last time with my dear friend Tara?  I'm not even going to try to express through words the crazy labyrinth of thoughts and emotions whirling within me.

 

 But at the same time, I'm so torn because of the friends I'm parting ways with, at least for a time, for the sake of going on this next adventure.  They have become more dear to my heart than I can say.  I don't really know what else to write about this, other than to ask for prayer that our bonds would stay strong despite the distance so that we can keep encouraging each other to walk in the Spirit and be Jesus.  I love this community, and moreover, I love each beautiful Person in this community.  I will never be able to live life in the same way after experiencing this glimpse of what it must have been like to live as the church lived during the time that Acts describes.  I will never live the same.