So, here we are again… traveling for the Lordt 🙂 When I first started this blog, it was to document my three month assignment in lovely Brazil. This time, though, I’m headed to the amazing continent of Africa. Maputo, Mozambique to be precise. The initial call went out in January asking for friends in the Portuguese speaking congregations to volunteer their efforts for a special preaching campaign in April and May. I was immediately interested, though I was waiting to hear the location – the last one we had was for a campaign in Boston, United States. But this time, when the brother said Mozambique, we all looked at each other like what did he say?!
I knew almost nothing about Mozambique except that they spoke Portuguese and it was in Africa, but my brain immediately went to work. My current work contract in New York was set to end in April, so I knew I most likely couldn’t apply for that month. But seeing as how it looked like I’d be unemployed and free by May, that could most definitely be the move. After the meeting – ok and maybe a little during the meeting – we all spoke with our eyes asking one another who was interested and who could go. It was kind of short notice for an expensive trip, and quite a few of the friends in my congregation had already been accepted to attend international conventions later that year so it would be difficult to add another international trip. I, however, was not invited to an international convention and so I somewhat felt like this was my special invitation to travel abroad for a most precious assignment.
That night, I asked for an application and prayed over the idea for the next couple of days. Africa. I always wanted to go to Africa. But I never really made the effort to figure it out. I didn’t really have the finances to support the trip as a vacation, and even though I wanted to apply to go to Johannesburg, South Africa for the international congresso, I looked at the airfare and just shut my laptop down. Africa was simply not in the plans. But for some reason once I heard that call go out, I knew – Jehovah willing – your girl was going to Africa.
Asking my girl Kenya if she was on board was pretty easy, though apparently convincing her girl, Jonte, was met with a little more difficulty. It worked out though, because once I received that letter that the three of us were approved – our plane tickets were purchased that very night. And this is how I know it was a blessing… I had a certain number I couldn’t go over, simply because the way my account is set up… HA! But for real, I already told you my job was ending before we would leave and though I had launched my own consulting agency – it wasn’t popping yet. So I just told then the number in my account and said “ladies, I can only purchase a plane ticket tonight if it’s under this.” The tickets came out to about $20 under what I had… so I had plane tickets and $20 to hold me over til pay day. LOL. God is good. (All the time).
So anyway, that’s how this whole trip started. I’ll try my best to keep this blog updated because I want to document it all – but I have no idea how the internet will be, or even how my time will be set up once we arrive. Either way, check back often. And if you want to see the quickest results, check my instagram @lalovelee. The blog may be delayed (so the photos may be out of order), but IG will pretty much stay on point.
Chat soon!! See you in Mozambique!
xoxo,
La
bom dia, la! 