Africa Trip Journal: Part Four

9-11-2008 continued

I hate the last-minute rush. I had so much to do and just didn't feel I had the time/stamina to fit it all in. Hopefully we remembered everything. Pretty sure we got the important stuff. Being the leader of this team has been a dubious honor. I can handle all the details, but it's sure not my favorite. Some of it is just perfectionism coming through. God's stretching me a lot already. It's good--scary at times--but good.

In big & small ways God's hand is on this trip. From providential donations to my charger being found ONE MINUTE after I prayed for it to Jess Croom deciding to stay in Kenya rather than go on to Uganda.

The church commissioned us on Sunday. I was nervous about speaking in front of everyone, though not as much as the Ethiopian dinner. We had lunch afterwards then had the prayer team pray over and with us. The Spirit moved. Manifested Himself, I'd say. When Jeannie prayed over me I had goose bumps all over and felt like I was lifting off the floor. She had a word for each of us and shared what she felt were gifts being given to us for the gift. Mine was interpretation of tongues. What?! Yep. On top of that, I'm preaching this Sunday at City Harvest. Didn't want to, but I thought it would be best to take the first big slot. I feel like I haven't had much sermon prep time, but it'll come together. God wants to speak through us if we make ourselves ourselves available. Lord, help me to be available to you.

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Just south of Greenland & Iceland. It's amusing to pee in a bathroom at 38,000 feet going 600 mph.

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It was hard to say goodbye to Jen & the kids. The last-minute rush helped in a way, because I just had to plow through. I hope they know how much I love them, though. If I didn't feel called to do this, there's no way I'd choose to spend weeks away from them. Hopefully they understand that. Maybe the video "Goodbye" and bedtime stories I made will help. Can't wait to read the cards they gave me. I know I'm going to miss them particularly tonight when I crawl into bed.

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It's so strange flying over the ocean at night. I look out the window and see nothing but black. No clouds, no lights, no water. Just black.

There's a baby crying in the back. That's got to be rough. Nothing you can do. Not everyone's sympathetic, though, and that's hard. Some people are just hard-hearted.

Woah. Feels like driving on a gravel road with bad shocks. Dramamine seemed to help take-off, but this is...interesting. Glad I didn't wake up to it. Yikes! Might have something to do with the 93 mph tailwind. Nice that they have the entertainment units to distract...