Visa Application Sent!

So, things are moving along nicely. A couple of weeks ago I sent in my visa application, and am waiting to get it back. Pray that everything goes smoothly there. I have also created a big hole in my bank account by sending my funds to the NAB, so that I will have funds once I am in country.

As the day draws nearer I am finding myself unable to sleep due to anticipation. As of this morning I have 46 days before I will be heading to the airport!

For the most part I am filled with an unexplainable peace about leaving everything I have ever been familiar with. For me, this is huge. I am the kind of person that struggled to go on sleep overs until I was in my late teens. However when I put my mind to something I make it happen. At 19, God led me to move away and study acting. My parents thought I was crazy, and unready to move out on my own. Perhaps I was, but as time went on I learned to live on my own (it was actually a lot easier of an adjustment than I expected it to be- I was where I was supposed to be.).

Then, last June God told me it was time to move on from Rosebud. While I spent a lot of time contemplating what I should do, various signs led me away from Rosebud. God had placed missions in my heart, so as I always do when I am unsure of a choice, I asked God for a sign. (I have a couple of interesting experiences with this, ask me some time.) I have written this next part on here before, but I'm going to share it anyways. Back in January (2010) we were asked to write down what we thought God wanted us to work on over the next semester. I wrote "God is reminding me to listen to what he says and trust." At the time (and even when I wrote about this months ago,) this didn't seem relevant to where I was in life. As I folded it back up I realized that there were words on the back. Frustrated that what I had written had no relevance to my life I stuffed it into my purse and started to walk home. However, as I walked that nagging voice that I have come to know as the voice of God kept saying "read it!" So I did.. It was Genesis 12, the call of Abram...

"The Lord has said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you."

Okay God. I will go.

Seriously, only God could orchestrate that his sign would be on that paper months before thoughts of going to Cameroon had even entered my mind. Amazing.

I knew I needed to go to Africa, but I didn't know why (and to this day do not know why.) as I have been heavily burdened by orphans in Eastern Europe for the last few years. My heart breaks for these children, and yet - I am going to Cameroon. Why? I don't know. Will I ever know? Not sure. I certainly hope so.

Anyways, when I told my parents last July that I would be going to Africa (I held off for a while, because I wanted to be sure), I am once again certain that they thought I was crazy. Even into January, as I talked about my plans to go they would say "don't be so sure that you are going." I was sure. In late January I ordered and received a copy of my plane ticket. It was then that realization set it. I remember my Mom looking at me and saying "Well, I guess you're actually going."

Yes Mom, I am actually going. I hope she feels as much peace about it as I do.