This is my first journal entry. I am not a professional writer or journalist or blogger. As a matter of fact, I have never consistently kept a journal or diary for two primary reasons: 1) I was afraid someone else would read it, thereby learning about my inner most melodramas and secrets; and 2) looking back on the few times that I did write something, later it seemed so overemotional and silly that I would just tear it up and feel embarrassed that I ever wrote those hokey thoughts and feelings down. But here it goes, an attempt to share the transition process, going from non-writter to writer, from career woman to missionary, from self sufficiency to dependency on others. There is a lot of change happening on all sides.
George Bernard Shaw wrote, “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” This entire shift began with a thought, "Move to Madagascar and help those kids." I began to think about my life, my value, my purpose. I began to desire to make my life count for something more than I was living. I began to think about toddlers, kids ages 2, 3, 4 years old, living on the streets, fighting for food, sleeping on trash, dying alone. I began to think that I could do something; I could help.
And so now I am down to my last 9 weeks in my house, the last 12 weeks in the US. In July, I'll move to France for ~3 months. I will learn French by trial and error, from some very patient friends, by just immersing myself in the language. Then I will travel to Madagascar for a ~2 week visit. I hope to meet some of the folks with whom I will potentially be working and just get a general lay of the land. Then, if accepted, I hope to start the Iris Harvest School of Ministry in Mozambique, Africa on October 1. This is a 10 week training course. After completion of this program, I plan to travel back to the States to wrap up any business here, visit family and friends, and complete needed fund raising. Finally in January/February 2016, I'll make the move to Madagascar. That's the plan anyway. I've always been a planner, but I realize that the best laid plans are still subject to adjustments and changes.