...and it all comes together...

"God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." - 2 Corinthians 9:8

So, Africa. First, I just want to stress how amazing God is. Africa has been on my heart for years now, and I am in total awe at how this trip has worked out thus far. Praise! For the past two years, I have been trying to plan a big trip over the summer...but God had different plans. Which now, in retrospect, I am SO very thankful that they did not work out. If for nothing else, I got to spend two wonderful summers with my Meme.

And about that...I read in a book today, "They say you can bear anything if you can tell a story about it." So, here is my story. A few months ago I lost my best friend. I lost my hero. I lost a part of myself, and in the words of The Fray, "the only one whose ever known who I am, who I'm not, and who I want to be". My grandma was my strength. She taught me to be brave, and what it means to love someone. "Love is not Love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove: O no! It is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken...Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks within his bending sickle's compass come: Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom." My Meme loved her husband and her mother through sickness, suffering, and death with more beauty and grace than I could ever imagine. When she was a child, her teachers told her she would never amount to anything and told her mom she was a lost cause. Boy, were they wrong. My Meme saved me. She taught me to never give in to a life of mediocrity. She saw greatness inside of me, even when I couldn't believe it was there. She was the plug to the hole in my soul...and with her gone, I often find the things I tried to keep hidden the most, leaking out of that hole...But, I'm here. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with, because with her gone, I find that I have to deal with everything I refused to face in my life. I know that many people find the death of a loved one shattering to their faith, but I feel the presence of something greater in me more than I have ever before. If it were up to me, I would not have the strength to get up in the morning. Good thing it isn't up to me. :) God has bigger plans for my life and he is determined to keep me going. "Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, it is well, it is well, with my soul."

Anyways...back to Africa. I am so excited that God has included this trip in his plans for my life. I just want to thank all of y'all who have been in prayer for me and this trip. I bought my plane ticket today. The funny thing is, is that it was about 400 dollars cheaper than when I had checked prices last week (Aren't tickets supposed to go up the closer it gets to the time of your trip?)...just a small reminder that God is still working. :) I will be flying out on July 8th at 8:45 pm and arriving in South Africa 15 hours later. I come back on July 20th (my birthday, and yes, I will be expecting presents!) I will spend my first night in a hotel...which you should definitely check out. It is pretty ballin...http://www.citylodge.co.za/cl4.htm.

*Please pray that someone else going on the trip will be flying out of Atlanta the same time as me. The only thing that scares me about the trip is getting from the airport to the hotel safely. I saw the movie Taken, and I am definitely not trying to get sold into sex slavery. :/ I should know in a few weeks if I can travel with someone else from the trip.

On July 10th, I will meet my group made up of teams and other individuals from across America at 10 am. We will drive from South Africa to Bulembu, Swaziland. Bulembu used to be a thriving mining town, until it was abandoned in 2000. "Ministry entrepreneur Kevin Ward, and a group of friends, bought the town and developed a grand vision: to renovate as many homes as necessary to house 3,000 children orphaned by the AIDS pandemic of Swaziland, teach AIDS awareness, and have a self sustaining community through the start-up of various cottage industry initiatives. Swaziland has the highest percentage of AIDS of any country in the world. We will be working with Bulembu ministries to renovate homes and schools. The homes will house 8 orphans each, along with a foster dad, mom, and grandmother." We will also have a children's bible school and go on a two-night safari to one of the world's best game reserves, Kruger Park.

*I really, really, really want to see a lion...and I swear, if the only thing I see is an alligator, I will punch someone. j/k. I will cry though...

*Also, pray that there is a real toilet in the lodge where we will be staying...because we all know how well I do with bathroom issues....

Anyway, that is a little about my trip. I will try to post updates when I can. Please continue praying for me, as well as the other groups and individuals who will go on this trip. Check out bulembu ministries website. It looks sooooo beautiful.

http://www.bulembu.org/#