I live in Africa

I live in Africa.

This is as much a reminder to me as to you. Not that I forget where I live... but sometimes it still doesn't seem real. I live in Africa. Hans was reminding me the other day that when he asked my parents if he could marry me, he told them to take their time and think about it, because he might take me to Africa one day. At the time, I just chuckled. Africa. I knew we would probably live overseas, but I had something a little different in mind. Europe. Maybe England or Switzerland. And then, after we got married, we reached a place where we were sure we'd be in Alaska for the rest of our lives. And I was happy about it. Excited.

Yet here we are in Africa... at the furthest place on planet earth that we can be from Alaska, (besides Antarctica.) And I'm happy about it (not to be away from Alaska, but to be here in Africa.) Excited, even. But I still need to remind myself. I have a two year temporary residence volunteer workers visa in my passport. The key word is "residence." We reside here. And the two years are most likely just the beginning. Because, frankly, we've realized that two years just simply isn't enough. We aren't here to get a cross-cultural experience to put on our resume's. We're here because we feel called to be a part of what God is doing on this continent. And while it's possible to be a part of something for a short time and accomplish what God has for you to accomplish and learn what God has for you to learn, Hans and I just might be slower learners. We might need a little more time to fully grasp what it is God has us here for... to fully give ourselves to it and become a part of it.

Who knows the future, but God himself. Thankfully, we can trust him with it. We can trust ourselves to him. This is a promise we rest in a lot these days. God is trustworthy. And faithful. In him there is nothing to fear. And if he called us to Africa, he will give us the grace to be here... to live the life he has called us to live. He has given us the grace... is giving us the grace. We are blessed beyond words by this experience so far. We are challenged and we are stretched. We are emptied and we are filled up again. We feel lonely and yet loved. We feel out of place, yet right in the center of his will. What a strange, beautiful place to be.

I live in Africa.... with my best friend... serving an amazing God.

And there's no place I'd rather be.