Still before you now / But I’m not standing still / Move me now according to your will / I am ready for / California / Far from me / Across the desert to the sea / A million miles away to somewhere I don’t know / Lift my feet from where I stand / Down the street, to foreign land / Anywhere you lead me / I will go

… “California,” Avalon …

If I have learned anything since arriving in South Africa four months (and five days) ago, it is this: Life, no matter how hard one may try, refuses to bend to the well-plotted and detailed machinations of humankind.  Life simply moves at a pace all its own, with its own plot twists, frustrations, and tragedies. From this we can gain a scrap of knowledge: Nothing will go according to plan.  Our mission trip to Botswana, for example, became an uncertain adventure of setbacks and recalculated plans as the Lord led us down a path entirely different from the one we had banked on from the get-go:

The adventure began on Monday, March 28, with an expected return in twelve days hence. We packed up the Land Rover and hit the road, stopping for a brief visit in Louis Trichardt for food supplies. Thirty minutes outside the town of LT, the Land Rover suffered a meltdown. The engine was overheating, and we could not move forward. We gave the Landy another thirty minutes to recover before limping back to LT for mechanical aid. The majority of our team spent the day at the garage waiting for the verdict on the Landy’s fate, while Kyle, Nicole, and I went off on a small shopping trip. Hours later, we got the call: the Land Rover was in a worse condition than previously assumed, and it would have to remain in LT for repairs. As such, Mr. Palmer had to return to the mission base in Shayandima, retrieve the 2^nd Land Rover, return to LT to pick the rest of us up, and then drive back to the base to spend the night. The following morning, we tried again and left the base around 6:15AM, heading for the South Africa/Botswana border.

However, the Lord had other plans. The border crossing had flooded, and we would have to drive an additional three hours to reach the next one.  So, we climbed back into the Landy and headed for our new destination. We got through the border without any issues and made it to a friend’s house to stay the night. The next day involved a few hours of driving (and a rather extended detour across dirt roads in search of our friend’s farm) without any mechanical mishaps. Until we arrived, that is. The moment we pulled up to the Smith’s farm, the Land Rover’s clutch gave out. Within two days, we had exhausted two Land Rovers.  From that moment on, we ran into all sorts of car trouble. Jacques and Mr. Palmer would manage to fix the issue at hand, only to reach our next destination and have the same problem return tenfold.

Despite the setbacks, God provided for us in every situation.  We could not serve in the schools and hospitals as we had planned, but we had an enjoyable trip nonetheless. We had the opportunity to travel into Zimbabwe for a two-day trip to see Victoria Falls, and we also explored the flatlands of Botswana, seeing all sorts of elephants, giraffes, and even a zebra. I was such a child whenever we saw one of those animals. From the moment I knew I was going to South Africa, I wanted to see an elephant and giraffe in the wild, and I got to see both up close and in person on this trip. I enjoyed every moment.

The most exciting (and nail-biting) part of the trip came about on our final night on the Smith’s Farm. I had been using the outdoor shower late that night, and since there was no outdoor lighting, I was using candlelight and a torch (flashlight) to see. Finished with my shower, I gathered my towel and toiletries into my hands and headed for the open hall that would take me outside of the bathing area. I awkwardly held my little flashlight in my hand, and just as I was fumbling with my things, the beam from my flashlight shifted up across the floor in front of me. I froze on the spot, staring at the curved stick that spread out before me. I moved the light further up and realized two things: 1) that I was staring at a long snake, and 2) my left foot was less than an inch from the tip of the snake’s tail. I backed up a step and kept my flashlight trained on the snake’s head. It turned to look at me, moving its head back and forth, watching as I backed away. Fortunately, it started slithering away from me and into the other side of the outdoor shower area. I waited for it to move far enough away before running for the house to get Mr. Palmer and Jacques. We never again found the snake, and we still aren’t sure what sort of snake it was. Mrs. Palmer did search a snake book the following day to try and figure which snake I had nearly stepped on, and we did find one that matched the snake I saw. When I saw the snake’s name, I laughed in disbelief: The Black Mamba, one of the most poisonous snakes around. Whether or not that was the type of snake I encountered will never be determined for certain, but I have been told that Black Mamba’s are incredible vicious and usually strike anyone who comes into its territory. So, if I did meet a Black Mamba, then I clearly had a “Daniel-in-the-Lion’s Den” experience. Regardless of the snake’s identity, it’s still a fun story.

Since returning from our adventures in Botswana and Zimbabwe, life has settled into a familiar routine. We started our second school term in April, but with all the holidays we’ve had over the past few weeks, it doesn’t really feel like it. We’re nearly halfway through the term, and we haven’t had a single full week of school. Tomorrow starts our first full five-day school week, and I can only pray we all manage to stay on our feet.

I am teaching Conversational English again, though I am at a greater advantage than I was last term. I now know what to expect in each of my classes (Grades 3 through 6), and I’m drawing up solid lesson plans for each class session that have, so far, panned out rather well. I’ve included a Spelling Bee this term, which will begin its first round on Tuesday. Mom sent me a package with stickers and rewards charts to use (and Swedish Fish, yum!), so I am very excited to include those in this term’s competitions and such.  We are still reading The Tale of Despereaux and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, though I am planning to include scenes from the films as well. I have different ideas up my sleeves, so we will see how this term plays out.

My students are doing very well, and I am getting to know them on a one-on-one basis as well. I have to maintain the “teacher-student” relationship, of course, but it’s nice to know the students personally and be able to interact with them beyond the scope of basic classroom instruction.  I enjoy every moment working in the senior learning center, though I do wish we had a larger number of high school students. Since I’ve started working here, God has clearly revealed which age level I am best with, and that is high school.  Currently, we only have three students who fall under that age level, but I am doing everything I can to aid them. I want to help all my students in every way possible. God placed me here for a reason, and I am not about to squander any opportunities God places before me.

In terms of prayer requests, I do have one that has been weighing on my mind as of late. Although I realize I have only been in SA for four months, I am already looking to next year. I simply ask if you would pray that God would reveal His plans for me next year. I am seriously considering remaining in South Africa for a second year, but that would require a lot of additional financial support. I know God will provide the funds should He want me to remain here, so I am placing my trust in Him to guide me and provide. But of course, prayers are always appreciated, especially on something so important as deciding the future. I am ready and willing to go where He calls me, but I just don’t know in what direction that may be.

Thanks so much for your prayers and continued support, everyone. Your love and encouragement has been incredible over the past few months, and I look forward to sharing with you God’s plan for my future.

Hope you all had a blessed Mother’s Day!

(Love and miss you, Mom! Wish I could have been with you in person!)