new(er) plans

So, remember just a couple weeks ago when I shared exciting news about how our partnership with Help One Now is leading us to Zimbabwe?  At the time, I was planning to board a plane in mid-October to visit the team and children there.

I would be remiss to not share a little backstory here: this summer, we had a big trip planned to Congo to visit our team and start a brand new project focused on community development. The trip was canceled due to the instability of the political environment. I was disappointed and frustrated. It felt as though three years of work had been halted rather abruptly.

{**Please be in prayer for our Sylvie’s beloved birth country. They are in an upheaval with political protests turning violent and deadly. It is a scary time for Congo.}

The team went on to Uganda and, after much prayer, I decided to stay behind knowing my place wasn’t on that trip.

Then, the opportunity to partner with the team in Zimbabwe was brought to us. I surrendered my fears and confusion and leaned in to listen to the Holy Spirit. It felt very clearly like I was supposed to go. I said yes.

A month before we planned to leave, the trip was postponed.

I’ll be honest, the back and forth of the past several months regarding direction and where God wants me to focus my energy has been exhausting. I have wondered if this is intended to be a season for me to step away from this work. Maybe all of these closed doors are my permission slip to just take a break and drink a pina colada on a beach somewhere? I’m kidding. Well, sort of. That actually sounds quite lovely…

After more leaning in {read: begging for clarity}, Dave and I both have peace about the latest plan. To be clear: we are either too exhausted from the past year to think clearly, are certifiably insane or are trusting God completely on this one.

The Zimbabwe trip has been rescheduled for early January, giving our family a unique window of opportunity. We have decided to bring the whole crew to South Africa for an extended stay while I travel to Zimbabwe for the 5 or so days with the team. Our littles will have an opportunity to be involved with Help One Now partners, Take Action Ministries, in some capacity {still working on the details … which is the theme of this trip … I have a LOT of details to work on} and we will have a chance to step away as a family from the breakneck pace of our lives here in America for a little respite. We will be able to expose our kids to a new culture and new customs and open their eyes to life outside of our rather privileged American bubble.

I’m so excited about this. I’m also nervous and terrified and feeling a little overwhelmed. It feels very much like an idea at this point and not an actual thing we are going to do. But, people do this sort of thing all the time. They book plane tickets and get on metal tubes and fly over oceans. They travel to new places even with little people, especially with little people. They seek adventure with God. They trust Him for safety and step outside of comfort zones holding tightly to His hand.

Right? People do this. We can do this. {???!}

We can do this.

I’m holding this new plan loosely, fully aware how quickly God can change our course. And, for that I’m grateful. As a dear friend reminded me, when God closes a bunch of doors, you can walk through the open one with full assurance that all of those redirects were guiding you to this place all along.