Stepping Out on Faith

I packed my suitcase last night.  If you know anything about me, you know that's HIGHLY unusual.  I don't like to call myself a procrastinator but, if I'm being honest, that's what I am.  My friend, Joseph, spins it nicely when he says I'm "pressure prompted" (he is also pressure prompted, so he knows).  So yes, I'm leaving for South Africa on Wednesday and I've already packed my suitcase.

Last week I went to the health department to see if I needed any shots (NONE, YAY!!!).

This morning I was commissioned by my church.

Tomorrow I will go exchange money and get a travel debit card.

Tuesday I will pack my carry-on.

Wednesday I will get in the car and head to the airport around 4:30.  

Oh dear.

This thing is actually happening.  I'm going to travel by myself.  I'll spend ten weeks in South Africa.  That's a whole other country, on another continent, in another hemisphere.

As I prepared for this trip (and by "prepared" I mean "had multiple meltdowns and backed out on a daily basis") I realized I've never been to another hemisphere.  Not having been to Africa was one thing, because let's be real, it's Africa.  I know very few people who have been there.  But I've traveled, so it seems perfectly normal to go to another continent.  Then I remembered it's going to be winter while I'm there and it hit me..."Oh dear God, this is a different hemisphere!!"  Why is that such a strange thing?  Lots of people live there.  One of my dearest friends was born there (interestingly, in Lesotho, the country inside of South Africa...it still baffles me).  

Doesn't it seem strange the things that strike us?  I'm not thinking about going to a place where lions live (there are freaking LIONS there!).  I'm not thinking about going to the heart of wheat country (which is particularly difficult for this gluten free girl).  I'm not even thinking about going to the place where Nelson Mandella lives.  I'm thinking about going to the southern hemisphere.

I've got lots of plans for the things I want to see and do in South Africa.  I'll be living in Durbanville, which is a suburb of Cape Town.  That means plenty of rich history and beautiful scenery to behold.  I'm working at Durbanville Presbyterian Church as a pastoral intern, which means preaching and teaching and all the wonderful and not-so-wonderful things that go along with ministry.

My friend Leigh, who did this same trip a few years ago, sent me an email and said, "It is a major faith move, Bethany, it truly is.  I remember being aware of that as it unfolded: stepping out onto faith."  I thought to myself, "Do I have that much faith."  But I do, and now I'm going to go to another county, on another continent, in another hemisphere, and experience a whole new part of God's creation.  I'll live, work and worship outside of my comfort zone, and will be stretched beyond compare.  I will love it and hate it, and come back changed.

All of that is, of course, after I pack my carry-on.