trip preparations

Oh, packing is a blast! Ha, not really! I have been buying little by little for weeks now and setting everything else as I decide what clothes to bring that I "need" and not just want. It's kind of a difficult task. I've never packed so lightly before with everything fitting into one suitcase (no more than 50 lbs), but I sure know these clothes will be well worn when I come back at the end of July! But I also know that it will be so much easier to live. Don't worry about your hair, how you look or anything else because that is what is the least important to God or anyone going to Swaziland. That's not the purpose. But lighter packing means less comfort in living. We're leaving the comfortable lifestyle of the typical American and giving it up (for the summer at this point). Bucket showers, sleeping bags, skirts (yuck), no blowdryers or hair straighteners, little or no makeup whatsoever, many many many weird bugs and african animals, but the one thing that holds me together and gives me peace- our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They say that passion isn't enough to follow your dreams sometimes. The passion may die down. If orphans are your passion its not enough. Well what do they say? Your passion has to be JESUS. When it comes down to the bottom of things, it all has to lead back to Jesus as our ultimate passion, ultimate guide, ultimate leader, ultimate desire, and our one true LOVE. He is the one that is going to keep us going. It is something I have been recently thinking about and studying.