Where it all started...

I have talked about where my love for Africa and desire to serve there began and I cannot believe I found this picture in the art room cleanup.

I was 5 years old the summer these three young men from Africa cam and stayed with my family for a couple of days (I don't really remember how long they were there but long enough that they changed my life.) I remember them talking about what life was like for them, each from a different part of Africa (I don't even remember which countries they came from.) One of them talked about the monkeys bothering them on their way to school and I was hooked. I HAD to go to Africa.

As I got a little older I believed that I was going to be a missionary in Africa and deal with the monkeys every day myself. That thought was deeply embedded in me and I have to say I was a little confused when I met Jay and was clear I HAD to marry him... What about Africa? I didn't talk about it much but it was there.

This is one of the things I love about God. In my little mind, being a missionary in Africa was a life commitment... you lived there forever. So marrying Jay meant no Africa for me. BUt God is not limited by small thought process... And now, all these years later I am just 6 weeks away from a second short term mission to Africa. I cannot believe all that God has had in store for me. And it all started when I met these three young men from Africa all those years ago. AMEN!