white bags, lions, and sweetness

Right now, I'm looking out a small window to my left and seeing not only the ground below me, but the massive right engine of the B787 that is taking me from Johannesburg to Nairobi.  My next stop after Nairobi will be Entebbe.  So help me if that is NOT the engine of the plane.  I'm definitely not wired to understand things in the mechanical realm, so have grace for me if the engine is really somewhere else.  Either way, I'm all buckled in and listening to the hum of the engines which is much stronger than the chatter and movement of those around me.  

No birds greeting me from a distance.  Or knocks on the wooden door of my house.  

And thankfully, on this flight... the sky is a dull blue and the warmth of the sun is palpable.  

Not like the last flight I took where the sky was lighting up with bolts of lightening extending from one side of the sky to the other.  The plane lurched and my stomach plummeted.  And I dreaded the realization that the little white bag provided in the backseat pouch of the plane might need to be utilized.  As the bolts of lightening lit the sky up and the plane swayed and jolted uncomfortably, I found my heart uneasy.  Unsure.  Nervous.  

When we finally landed, my heart exhaled.  My stomach took a bit longer.  Thankfully, the white bag and I never became friends.  At least not on that flight.  

Why am I talking about vomit bags?  That is a good question.  I have no idea. 

We shall see if the previous sentences remain or if they get deleted as I write.

Why am I mentioning planes?  Well, because planes are what brought me from Entebbe, Uganda to Cape Town, South Africa.  And smacked in between of those flights was a whole lot of sweetness.  

Earlier this year, a friend sent me information about a conference for missionary women.  I remember looking through the information and wondering if it would be possible for me to go.  It was put on by an amazing organization called THRIVE.  It's an ministry in the States that literally goes around the world setting up retreats for missionary women.  The women from the States who come, come to serve and love on those who re working overseas.  It was a double blessing.  To be poured in by women and to be able to interact with other women who understand all the joys and challenges of living on this beautifully amazing continent of Africa.  

And so I went.  And it was a time of awesomeness.  It was such a gift to be with other women.  It was such a gift to exhale.  I watched as God orchestrated some sweet interactions.  He had His own agenda for me during those days and I was thankful to be able to see Him orchestrating the details of my day.  

My heart smiles at His kindness.  After the conference, I utilized some vacation time and hopped in a car with my friend Laurie and a new friend Michelle.  We drove along the Garden Coast soaking in the beauty of the country and the ocean.  We stayed at a farm one night and rode an ostrich another day.  My friend treated me to a two night stay at a safari lodge.  What a GIFT.  There was watching the lions eat a warthog and the male lion walk along the road.  The sun peeked out over the mountains in the morning and settled slowly over the mountains in the evening.  

Today, I stopped at the grocery store at the airport.  (Brilliant!) and picked up a variety of fun foods.  Raspberries, nectarines, peaches, dried fruit, and cheddar cheese.  All high delicacies.  I'm excited to share them.  

And so, since my fingers first started tapping away on the keyboard, I've since landed into Nairobi.  the sun just went down a short while ago.  The raspberries didn't like the altitude and started bleeding through the container.  Yeah.... NOT so cool.  My journal will probably carry the scar of this adventure forever.  But it's a good scar.  Reflective of a good time. 

In a short bit, I'll hope my final plane, settle into my seat, and nearly as quickly as I will be up in the air, the plane will start coming down.  And I'll be home.  

And speaking of Home.... I need to write another blog post.  There is never a dull moment in my life. Never.  And speaking of moments.  I have yet another blog post to write.  

Hold me to it.  What I have to share is exciting.  

In the meantime, I covet your prayers.  I already jumped back into work heading from South Africa to here and in this next week is, from what I know, going to be FULL.  

I anticipate that it will be full of... 

Some drug shopping... 

meeting with the young ladies that I mentor.... 

working in the clinic... 

starting and finishing the clinic budget for 2017 (I may or may not have procrastinated on this!)

going to the Indian Embassy (please pray for favor!  and Yes, this is part of the next blog post) 

packing.... 

and keeping my eyes on Him in the process. 

Much love to you all!