“Every intersection offers an invitation for growth and to move forward courageously.” (Crossing Intersection, Grace Samson-Song)
“It will be a great time of vacation, connecting with family, sharing about our time in South Africa and raising funds for the next few years!” Those thoughts were the guiding line of our trip back home, three years and a half after our first day in South Africa. We were expecting our second baby girl, Diary, and were excited at the idea of giving birth home, in Madagascar, so that the extended family could be part of this special experience in our life. Little did we know that this five month trip turned into a long life-changing and community impacting adventure.
I don’t know if it was the idea of leaving soon that gave us that courage to be true to ourselves, to share boldly about our unique cross-cultural experience as a family in mission, to challenge others to live intentionally and dare to make decisive choices in life. Whatever was the drive behind us, it surely put a great deal of pressure on us when we realized that we would not get back to RSA that soon. Disappointed? Oh, yes! Sad? Oh, yes! Relieved? Interestingly enough, yes! Living in the doubt of what’s coming next was very frustrating for us, well, at least for me. Being an achiever and a very action and result-oriented person, I felt handicapped
in the in-between season of not knowing what would happen next, what if and so what to do.
But something I quickly realized was that an in-between season IS a season in itself. As an intersection described in “Crossing Intersection”, it IS the kind of intersection that “offers an invitation for growth and to move forward courageously”. So, taking my courage with both hands, deciding to move on and using my passion and vision as a thread in the midst of the fog, I decided to move forward.
I made connections which happened to be very useful as God led me to key people for my present and future projects. I grieved my lost relationships and work and celebrated the blessings and life long lessons I was taking away. We settled in our new home, sent our daughter to a local English speaking school which she really loved, attended a new home church, got new habits, networked with our organization’s local members and helped around. We continued our teaching ministry by starting free English classes in a God-given building. Later, the testimonies of how those classes have impacted individuals really confirmed the reason why we stayed.
Moreover, I allowed myself to indulge in trying out all those things I have always wanted to do: painting my first canvas, writing a book, planning to start up my own “business”, investing more time in my kids, giving a local school a fresh new image and even signing up for some Zumba classes. All of that would not have happened without that courage to go for it, to move forward, and to keep hoping for the best.
I love my new season. I can’t call it in-between season anymore, because I don’t want this to be a waiting period before real life begins, it IS life itself. Although being in a different setting can be uncomfortable and overwhelming at times, it actually allows us to keep on living our values, passions and purpose because that’s what is left when the known is taken away from us. And no need to say that in the midst of it all, courage is what is need to face it.
I wish you courage in your transition time, knowing that the best is yet to come!
