Pre-Travel Jitters

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This is my ninth trip to Tanzania.  I know I will be welcomed by friends who love me like family, and who will care for me like family.

I know that my itinerary is set, my reservations have been made, my bus and lodging arrangements are settled. From the time I get through customs and collect my checked luggage, I will not be alone.  I will have friends who meet me, usher me into cabs, check me into hotels, help me find the bus station, and accompany me on my way to Iringa, and eventually to Tungamalenga.

I am not worried.  I am looking forward to my time in Tanzania.

And yet. There are the pre-travel jitters.  Have I checked off every item on my to-do list?

Med-evac insurance?

Are my US dollars newer than 2006 bills?

Have I provided my family in Minnesota with all the TZ contact information they may need?

Am I carrying enough cash to deal with emergencies and unexpected needs?

Do I have enough of the right kinds of clothing to cover the situations we will encounter?

Do I have a way to connect with my family if something comes up, either with them or with me?

Do I have all the documents I need to have productive conversations with our partners?

Do I have the technology I need -- cameras, data cards, video -- to bring back a piece of this travel experience to share with my congregation?

Have I packed what I need???????


In all this worry and list-making, it is good to remember that God has been present in Tanzania, in the Iringa Diocese, in Tungamalenga and Makifu Parishes all along.  God's work has been accomplished long before we, the people of Shepherd of the Valley, arrived to lend a hand.  God is in the evangelism, the scholarships, the healthcare, the economic development, the emergencies, the unexpected encounters, even the photos and videos.... God has been there all along. We from Shepherd of the Valley come to visit, take pictures, and simply spread the word of what God has been doing all along. 

The jitters I feel all dissipate when I remember who has brought this partnership to fruition.

It's God's work, our hands.  Thanks be to God.



Comments

  1. DanJuly 20, 2013 at 6:45 PM

    Relax, you are going to Tanzania, what could possibly go wrong?

    ReplyDelete

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