Target, Rack Room Shoes, New York and Company, and J.C.Penney shopping bags have invaded my room, thus forcing me to realize a fact that has been staring me in the face: I leave in 5 days!

With this bit of knowledge tucked in my back pocket, I find myself presented with a dilemma dreaded by most girls the world over. The dilemma may seem insignificant in the overall scheme of things, but honestly, how can one pack an entire year into two and a half suitcases? However, I enjoy a challenge as much as the next stubborn individual, so I will not allow a baggage requirement and limited packing space defeat me. I will persevere, and I will win. :)

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All joking and battle-planning aside, plans for the upcoming year are finalizing and being put into motion. With a great deal of thanks to an incredible missions travel agent, I managed to purchase round-trip tickets for a reasonable price under the $2000 mark on British Airways. I am in for a long 30+ hours of travel, but with my handy-dandy Kindle, iPod, and MacBook Pro, I think I can manage it. (And perhaps take over the world all at the same time, but that’s another blog post entirely. :D)  My first flight departs Dulles Airport on Monday, January 3rd at 10:25PM for London, England. After a 7 hour flight, I have a layover in Heathrow for an additional 7 hours, followed by an 11 hour flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. Upon landing, I must linger for 4 to 5 hours for my hosts to arrive on their plane, and then we have a 5 hour drive to our final destination. (Phew! You all tired yet? :) Haha!) Crazy, but so worth it.

Although the trip from Virginia to South Africa will be long and exhausting, I cannot wait to get there and begin this new chapter in my life. God has already blessed this journey in so many ways, and I know He still has much more in store for me. Times will get tough, but with all of you praying and supporting me, I know I cannot go wrong. :)

The last couple of months have been crazy, but in the midst of the chaos, two major answers to prayer have sprung forth:

• In November, my three-year South African visa was approved after a troublesome two weeks of uncertainty. I ran into a major roadblock in which my visa was nearly denied, but as He always does, God stepped in and cleared the road.
• Enough financial support from friends and family have come in to cover the full cost of my airline tickets, as well as pay for a year’s worth of room costs.

In addition to these praises, I do ask that you would continue to keep me in your prayers. Here are a few things you could pray about specifically:

• Financial support. Although some of the major costs have been covered, I still need financial aid to provide for living expenses, mission trips into the surrounding countries, etc.
• A safe trip to South Africa. The flights and layovers will be draining, so I will need a positive attitude and strength to get through the long hours.
• Overall strength and wisdom as I begin working at the Shayandima School of Tomorrow. I do not know my exact responsibilities as of yet, but I know there will be fresh challenges at every turn.
• My family. No matter how supportive and excited they are for me as I head off to South Africa, I know the change will be difficult for them.

Again, I cannot thank you all enough for your encouragement, prayers, and support.  I know without a shadow of a doubt that this is where God is leading me, and I also know that I could not have traveled this far without the support from all of you, my friends and family. :) You all are awesome.