Hopefully it won't scare you off to say that it's going to take me a long time to get through blogging about all we did & saw in Africa. But it won't be all in one post! In fact, some things still need to sink in and float around in my heart and head before I can really post about them. So for now, let's just talk about getting there!
Ken celebrated his 40th birthday on the plane ride to Africa. Our friends made a sign that they hung over his head while he was sleeping. {grin}
Ken celebrated his 40th birthday on the plane ride to Africa. Our friends made a sign that they hung over his head while he was sleeping. {grin}
This was my first l-o-n-g plane ride. I hadn't flown at all in at least 12 years, and only two short flights before that. Ever. I had a little talk with God while at the airport, looking out at the enormous 777 plane that would take us across the ocean to another continent -- 9,000 miles from home. But I was very calm about it all, despite months of anxiety any time I thought about it. That can only be explained by lots of prayer, on my own, and especially from all of you dear friends! Here Jenifer is congratulating me because we were almost there!
I was excited about everything. I think everyone on the team was amused by my childlike enthusiasm. Like when we were officially out of the country, flying in international air space. Or when I got brave enough to actually stand up on the plane, and then survived my first trip to the restroom! Or when I ate my first airline food. Or when I saw that our little video screens had a moving map to show where we were.
When we were finally over land again, after many hours of flying over the ocean in the darkness, I said to anyone who would listen:
"Guess what!?! We're in AFRICA!!!!"
And, of course, I took photos out of the airplane window of my first view of Africa.
After we were served our morning meal (of pizza and couscous?), I made tea, of course!
Tea and cookies, over Africa. Never in a million years did I think something like that was even in the realm of reasonable to dream of. God is so much bigger than I can fathom; this is going to be a recurring theme in all my Africa blog posts. I am simply overwhelmed by how much He loves me, and how much He wants to do with me and for me, if I'll just let Him!
