the one month mark

 Exactly 4 weeks from this posting, I will be boarding onto an airplane with 100+ potential seatmates to spend eight hours hurtling through the skies in a metal tube to land in London for 11 hours to then board another metal tube with hopefully fewer potential seatmates to fly nine hours to land in a sunny, hot, diesel-smelling, accent-laden new culture. 

At the airport, I'll buy a visa for $50, then walk out to meet the folks whom I'll be living and working with for the next year...and I've never met them previously. I'll exchange American dollars for Ugandan shillings, buy a cell phone and SIM card, sit in Kampala traffic, and drive several hours to my new home, where I will be filtering water to drink, living with sometimes consistent electricity, and learning a new language. Oh, did I mention that I'm also learning a new job? I've never been a full-time teacher.

This is going to be the hardest thing I've ever done.

But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' ... For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  
                                                                                     --2 Cor. 12: 9a, 10

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
                                                                                                            --James 1.12

This is my comfort in my affliction,
  that your promise gives me life. ...
It is good for me that I was afflicted,
  that I might learn your statutes.
The law of your mouth is better to me
   than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
                                            --Psalm 119.50, 71-72

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

      so great is his steadfast love to those who fear him.

                                   --Psalm 103.11

a cold shoulder to anxiety

I’m moving to Africa in 1 month, 7 days, and 14 minutes. This fact caused me no little consternation earlier in the week, when I realized that after removing camp days, travel days, beach days, family days, and sleep days, my preparation time drops to 11 days, max. Eleven days to figure out water filters and to find past-knee-length skirts, the two lingering items on my preparation list. Not to mention packing, moving, selling my car, and saying goodbye. That’s not enough time, said my brain, with very worldly logic.

By God’s grace, before my anxiety was even a few hours old, I read Matthew 6.

I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

--Matt. 6.25, 27, 31-34

Jesus specifically tells his followers not to worry about what they will drink. It’s as if he knew that someday, an insignificant girl from America would be concerned about how to get clean water in Africa. Don’t worry about it, He says. I’ve got this. Just trust me. So by His grace, I rejected my anxiety and reminded myself that God knows I need clean water. I wasn’t sure how He would provide it, but I refused to let it distract me.

Lo and behold, I arrive home tonight to find an email from my future housemate in Uganda. Don’t worry about bringing a water filter, she says. I’ve got one and so does the house where we’re staying. So 2 is uber plenty! What a timely reminder of how God delights to provide good gifts to His children, if only we will rest in His steadfast love and unending faithfulness. 

I’m moving to Africa in 1 month, 6 days, 23 hours, and 34 minutes. And I refuse to worry about a thing.

summer, in some of its glory

It's been pretty quiet on the blog, mainly because it's been pretty loud in my life. For the past 4 weeks, summer adventure camp has consumed my life. Sunday afternoon through Friday evening, I'm working what has become the favorite job of my life thus far. I'm leading creek hikes, low ropes courses, pool times, high ropes courses, canoes, Bible story times, and all sorts of odd jobs, such as wrangling stray horses, washing dishes in a veritable sauna, running competitions for which group can enter the dining hall first, and of course, getting a really nice tan.

One of the best parts of this summer is working with this guy:

My brother, the coolest counselor at camp.

Living the outdoors life is pretty epic. Here we are collecting 50 gallons of water (as part of a challenge, not for drinking!)

And here's a group of campers & counselors, right after we became mud warriors during a creek hike:

Yup, I'm loving this job. Hard to believe there's only 6 weeks left until I move to Africa!!

seeing is understanding

Camp has started, and with it, a plethora of spiritual lessons, warfare, and growth. Of the many stories thus far, one in particular stands in my mind vividly and continues to send chills down my spine when I grasp the implications yet again.

One young camper, whom we'll call Gregory, had been an particularly ridiculous punk, concluding the first two days with a swing at a fellow camp-mate. Violence being discouraged at our camp, the immediate recourse was a chat with one of the permanent staff and a phone call to the parents. I entered the story after Gregory had a chance to explain his angst at camp food, fellow campers, and camp activities to his parents and then was dismissed to his group so a solution could be discussed between the permanent staffer and the parents.

Gregory was given a 24-hour probation period, a flashlight, and an extra counselor for his group. A second phone call between the permanent staffer and the parents was scheduled for 830pm the next day. If things hadn't improved by Wednesday night, Gregory would be sent home.

*********************************

As Wednesday wore on, it seemed the chat, the extra counselor, and some special food accommodations were helping Gregory's attitude. Fairly certain that Gregory would be able to stay the rest of the week, I still caught his group's counselors briefly after dinner for their analysis of the situation, so we could knowledgeably update his parents. All three agreed--Gregory was doing better and should be allowed to stay. The permanent staffer concurred and conveyed the news to the parents: Gregory could remain at camp.

Several hours later, Gregory's two male counselors came to me, asking for the permanent staffer's cell phone number. Concerned, I asked if everything was alright. Oh yes, they assured me; they simply wanted to make sure that Gregory wouldn't be sent home. They continued to plead his case for another five minutes, explaining all the reasons that Gregory should be given a second chance and citing all the small proofs of his slowly changing heart. Once they paused for a breath, I affirmed that Gregory had been permitted to stay, which caused no little rejoicing between these two counselors.

*********************************

I was surprised by the counselors' concern for Gregory and the way they had pleaded for him. The situation mulled through my subconscious for the next 10 hours, until suddenly I realized why their actions were so significant. The way these two young men took it upon themselves to plead Gregory's case reminded me of Hebrews 7:25, which states that Jesus "always lives to make intercession" for those who trust him. Just as they were imploring me that Gregory have a second chance, so Jesus stands before God's throne in heaven pleading that I receive mercy, that I receive a second chance, a third chance, a one-hundredth chance. If I have received such undeserved mercy, how then can I refuse to show it to others?


"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." - 1 John 2.1  

nomading. plus also, i'm moving to africa in 12 weeks.

“So, where are you from?”

It’s a common enough question when making small talk with new acquaintances, but it strikes dismay into every nomad’s heart. Does the person want the long or the short story? How much information is too much information? Can’t we just go back to ‘stranger danger’ days??

My answer to this question depends on the day, the time, the location, the company, and the weather. The short version is “Virginia”…or “Alabama.” The complex version is“Well, I live in Virginia right now, but I’m moving to Uganda in the fall. I was a military brat, so I’m an East Coaster, raised from Maine to Florida. And my family lives in Alabama, so that’s what I claim as home.”

I pity the sucker who thinks of this “innocuous” question while making small talk!

**************************************************************

During the past month, I’ve been traipsing around the country, visiting family and friends. The life of an unemployed nomad has been enjoyable, refreshing after a season of hard work. Soon enough, I’ll be starting my summer job, working long days outdoors and having a blast while doing it. After the summer, only 12 weeks from today, I’ll be moving to Africa for a completely new adventure! 12 weeks. That’s not very long at all.

***************************************************************

On one final note, this past week I finished my fourteenth flight of 2012. I’ve been on fourteen different airplanes this year! The week, however, also commemorates my final flight of 2012 until I fly to Uganda. Good thing, since I’ll need a few months without airports or airplanes to work up the guts for a 24+ hour trip…

this guy bought his plane tickets from a third-party travel site...

sentences + illustrations

Frustrated by the lack of consistent posts recently? 

Here's a cute dog picture to cheer you up.

Plus, I thought my post on The Avengers was mighty substantive. 

Not quite enough to satiate your need for some Chrissy-perspective?

Well, in my defense, I've been hanging with these guys:

We've been celebrating various things.

Family gatherings always involve some wild happenings.

Pictures of the craziness shall follow soon. 

I couldn't give you everything at once, could I?