Leaving Tomorrow and Request for Input

[Photo, mine, April 2009: Tanzania]

Hello, Hello....

I hop in my taxi at 4:30 am tomorrow. Then two days of my body being in the tin can...and I will be in Tanzania. Here's a new link for info in Dar es Salaam I have been given - pretty cool http://www.dar411.com/ .

When I get to JFK, I get to meet and travel with a young woman who is on her first visit to Tanzania. I like having company when I travel.

Inspired by my huge learning curve, I've begun my "Massive Mission Manual" [working title]. I had so much to learn and am still learning. I think it would be nice to have a list and suggestions.

Here's an example....I wish I hadn't taken hand cream. Even unscented, it was redundant to my sunscreen and would have saved me valuable room (each ounce counts!) in my luggage.

If you have been on mission, or are simply a world traveler, gypsetter or just darn smart, send me your hints. I plan on publishing them here, so there will be an on-line reference for (hopefully) years to come!

Cheers!

Locks of love

OK...I did. I got a p...e...r...m. Went into Glynn Jones Salon and had my stylist do it. I feel so funky! The problem was I really didn't like seeing all the pictures of me in Tanzania with my hair pulled back. But, NO hairdryers. So the "blow-out" did not exist for me and would not on my next trip.

I consulted my sister who has two things going for her. 1. She has been on mission trips before. 2. She gets that I don't want to look dowdy even if I am in harsh conditions. Her advice... the PERM.

As you might imagine, I believe I was the first person to actually request a perm in the history of Glynn Jones.

I am declaring myself an official gypsetter and perms are now cool again!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Skirts, she wants skirts...

One of the fascinating aspects of going into a new reality is how so much of my current life doesn’t fit. There isn’t one piece of clothing of mine that translates to rural Africa.

The most interesting to date has been trying to find long, light colored, unlined skirts for summer weather. I haven’t worn long skirts in summer since I went through an extremely frumpy phase 14 years ago.

It took me a week, umpteen shops and over a dozen catalogs to find these at a reasonable price. Kudos to the girlfriend who suggested Sierra Trading Post. They had fallen off my radar. But, they came through last Friday night.

So, yes, you can have a fashion crisis in mission work. Take that Anna Wintour!

The Beginning

Last summer I had the wonderful opportunity to accompany my husband on a business trip to South Africa. The short version of the story is that I assumed I’d go, see some interesting animals, take some pictures and come home. Resuming my life as it had been before.

That was not God’s plan.

The moment I believe my heart was broken and I began to hear God’s call was seeing the little boy – maybe 6, maybe older – malnutrition does a number on your height – standing on the street corner. He had cut off the tops of his shoes to give his feet more room. He wasn’t begging. He wasn’t crying in pain. But his image encapsulates in my mind the moment God clearly called me to mission.

Back in my office in Old Town Alexandria, by the umpteenth day that I sat crying, I realized I either had to get over it or do something. Not sure what to do, I turned to our assistant rector. She was so wonderful and understanding. I cried so much to her that I hope she went out and bought Kleenex stock.

Thankfully, she put me in touch with the diocese and from there I was able to being this journey through mission. She also guided me through a discernment process which helped clarify if I was truly being called. And if I was being called, to what or to where was the calling.

I won’t write the thousand and one things that have brought me to this moment. Nor do I believe anyone would want to read them. Rather, this is the where I am in the journey. I am now blessed to be going to Tanzania with the person I call my “mission mentor”. I feel called to take this journey for many reasons, two of which are the spiritual growth I need and the ability to work under an awesome missionary.

I still believe my calling is to South Africa. But I also believe that I must make that journey through this trip to Tanzania.

I am afraid. I am hopeful. And I am mostly so thankful for the opportunities and blessings that are ahead.