Claire:
Three weeks left and I have an overwhelming desire to pack!! The other day we had a few Giant suitcases delivered…with TAP Portugal you get a hefty 64kg each! I’m so excited about filling them! A few friends have given us beautiful things to take to put in the Pink House (safe house in Medina) One friend gave beautiful colouring books, plasticine, pencils and paints – all in exchange for a hair-cut! I did warn her before I got chopping that my basic skills were acquired in the course that cost me £8 and a bag of beans ;) I’m looking forward to packing well… taking things from our lovely home here to help set up home there. I know that culture shock is unavoidable and in various ways I’ll struggle to settle in, but at the same time I’m excited about making that transition, and getting to know another little space and making it our home. A few key items that we want to take:
Sam: 2 x hand-painted bird egg cups (!) & mini black-board!
Claire: Pink pizza-cutter & African safari table mats :)
In amongst the excitement about packing, there are lots of other feelings taking place… a sense of quiet peacefulness about going; a growing anticipation and excitement about the opportunities for lasting change in Medina; a deep desire to begin the challenging yet beautiful journey of getting to know the girls on the BR116; anxiousness about saying goodbye to family and friends, and sadness about stopping working with the children and young people in Eltham who we’ve had the privilege of getting to know. I also feel a great sense of awe before God for leading me on this journey from the start; there are many unknowns, and yet I feel peaceful that we are part of something bigger than ourselves and that we do not go alone.
