"Oriti!"

.....or "Good-bye!" for my English speaking friends!

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I can't believe it's finally here, but tonight Ben & I begin our journey to Gulu, Uganda. Months of planning and preparation have finally come to an end and it's time to apply all that we have worked toward.

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About a week ago, Greta looked up at me with a tear cascading down her cheek and asked, "Why do you have to go to Africa?" It was a heart-wrenching moment, and a very poignant one at that, for I was forced to verbalize a non-verbal calling that God placed on my heart. How do you do that in a way in which your nine year old daughter understands?

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Many people, in fact, have asked why I am doing this. It is truly an interesting process to decipher how you arrive at a certain place in life.

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For me, I had never felt a calling on my life to be a "missionary." I was very satisfied "working for the Kingdom" here in my own backyard. I would leave the third world countries, the home-made clothing, the bounty of children and the mud huts to those whom God had specifically carved out for that line of work. My childhood vision of missions was very narrow-minded, obviously.

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That vision radically changed, however, during my visit to Israel in the spring of 2006. More specifically, upon touring within the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. There, I saw a land bursting with pilgrims from all four corners of the globe. For them, this was the center of all they lived for. Everywhere I looked, I saw people who realized that there is more to this life than the here and now.

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They were all striving for a connection to the Creator of this universe, albeit via many different paths. In one church building,the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, atop the supposed site of Jesus' death, five churches vie for space, striving to prove that their way is the right way to heaven.

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The fighting and turmoil in that land all stem from different religious views, yet the land screams Jesus. It is so evident, yet man has lost its way. It is very sad.

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To see how life revolved in this fashion as I walked through the city of Jerusalem, the United States all of a sudden seemed so distant and shallow and materialistic. It's hard to best express those feelings, but it was very overwhelming.

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As I stood next to the Jordan River and worshipped Jesus with a large group of Nigerian Christians, my eyes were opened globally like they'd never been opened before. I had received a passion like I'd never felt. My life was forever changed.

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A few months later, a Ugandan man named Moses, spoke to some of the small groups at our church and I found him captivating. To think of how the gospel is being spread throughout the world was just awesome. I wanted to be a part of it. Moses invited Ben and I to come to his country and help in his endeavor. Ben looked into the possibility and found it very encouraging.

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From there, God opened one door after another for this mission to take place, even partnering with the dynamic Reid Saunder's Association that was planning a trip at the same time we had looked into. But the question remained in my heart: What's my purpose there? I didn't want to simply go to Africa just for the ability to say that I'm going to Africa. I wanted no selfish motive. My answer came one evening in July, when I was asked to lead worship for the RSA festivals and team meetings while in Uganda. I had my purpose and my calling.

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And now it is time. Time to act. Time to walk by faith. Time to GO.

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Not to say that I haven't felt my fair share of oppression. Whenever we prepare to do God's work, know that there is an enemy waiting to thwart your efforts.

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Today did not go as planned. After a few very stressful days of tying up loose ends, preparing my children and house for my departure and finishing all the last minute details, my dog, Poco, had to have emergency surgery to remove two abscess teeth. This was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back for my stress level. I lost it~ right there in the vet's office. The enemy had played upon my weaknesses and had planted doubts in my mind as to whether or not I should be making this trip at all.

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Garden of Gethsemane

I found myself asking Ben, "Is it too late to call the whole thing off?" But then I was reminded of Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His arrest: "Again he prayed, 'My Father, if there is no other way than this, drinking this cup to the dregs, I'm ready. Do it your way.'" Matthew 26:42

Jesus was facing His death. He asked His Father if there was another way, then said boldly that He was ready. Amazing. I am simply facing two weeks outside of my comfort zone. A small task in comparison.

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I will return in two weeks with a new perspective on life. What that perspective will be, I have no idea. I do know that it is God-ordained, however.

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Please feel free to leave several comments for me while I am gone, when you think of it. I would love to see a world record! : ) Know that I am thinking of you all while I am away, praying for you and looking forward to hearing how your lives have played out.

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So, oriti! I'll be back!