A Terrible Missionary!

What I SHOULD look like when I fly!

What I probably look like when I fly!

Friday, January 11, 2013

After 5 international moves in only 3 years I came to a realization this week.  I really am a terrible missionary.  I say this not because I am high maintenance (although Blake may think so at times), and not because I don’t fit into the culture (although that is kind of true as well).  Time for a quick side note…I have been married for 5.5 years and according to African culture should have 5 babies by now (1 for each year married), that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but its pretty close.  So, whenever we meet new people they say you are married?  Yes.  Where are your babies?  Well we don’t have any.  WHAT!  Try explaining that with your very limited second language!  My personality tells me I should plan everything out…but I have also learned to be flexible, taking everything day by day.  Controlling what I can, and letting go of what I can’t control.  So I have even (mostly) adapted to being flexible.

So…what makes me a terrible missionary?  I HATE to fly!  I am not even kidding you.  I truly do have this unrealistic fear of flying.  I am sure it is psychological but I get so worked up about it that some days I get physically sick.  I get nauseous, anxious and shaky.  Blake and I have to spend a lot of time in prayer before and during any flights just to get my nerves to calm down.  He talks to me during take of and landing, just trying to get my mind off of what is going on.  Oh and the turbulence!  Do not even get me started. 

When we left in October for South Sudan, we flew Denver to Toronto, to Frankfurt, to Addis Ababa, to Juba.  I took deep breaths; made myself stay calm and overall did a VERY good job flying that trip.  Well, that was supposed to be the last time I had to fly until our assignment was over in a year.  Obviously all that changed because we now find ourselves 3 months later in Kinshasa, DRC.  Still waiting for one more flight before landing in Gemena, DRC (our final destination) for now!

Blake and I LOVE the work; we love what we are called to do.  We LOVE the people we meet and spending time getting to know the culture.  We are so excited to be back in DRC, but WHY oh WHY do we have to fly?  If it weren’t for missing family and truly needing a break…we would never have to fly anywhere again!  Obviously I have unrealistic expectations…but still!  Maybe someone should build some kind of turbo train that somehow connects everyplace on earth!  Hello…it is the 21^st century.

Well, now you know my secret…although I try not to be…I am a terrible missionary!  And I have one more flight to take tomorrow.  Oh boy oh boy!