#domboshava

[calluptoheaven]

Domboshava, Zimbabwe

[kinetic-energy3]

The End of the Beginning

Your pain has changed me--Your dream inspires. Your face a memory--Your hope a fire. Your courage asks me what I'm afraid of and what I know of love. -Sara Groves

Days 36-40

This is the end of the line, folks. Days 36-40 of my 40 days in Africa. But I call this post "The End of the Beginning" because I truly believe it is the start of something new (cue High School Musical again) in my life. And also because, let's be honest, this is not the end of my trips to Africa. I will be going back someday, someway, somehow. So without further ado.....

Day 36

It was our last weekday in Zimbabwe, and we couldn't believe how fast it had come. We wanted to make it a special day for kids at the school in Hatcliffe, since that was the ministry we spent the most time with.

So we planned a FIELD TRIP!! (Only the two greatest words in all of school history.)

The kids woke up early and walked half an hour to come meet us. All 10 of them plus several adults SQUEEZED into the back of our tiny truck! :

Oh Africa.

We drove them up to Domboshava--a huge rock/small mountain nearby.

Some of these kids had never been out of Hatcliffe, so this was huge for them! People from my group got them all lollipops for the drive up, and snacks for the top.

Chipo was my little buddy the whole time. She really wanted to run ahead, and I told her she should go ahead without me (since running up mountains is just not in the cards for me right now). But she gladly stayed by my side and held my hand instead. Awwww.....

We saw cave drawings, climbed numerous big rocks, and had a total blast.

However, we did eventually have to go back to Hatcliffe and then say our final goodbye to those children. I still think of them often as they sit on their new benches in their little cardboard school in Hatcliffe. I pray for them and thank God for them.

In the afternoon, Dax drove Daniel and I to River of Life church where we would be helping with the worship band for youth group that night. I had my first experience of leading worship, which was kinda rocky but so much fun! And I fulfilled my dream of leading Hillsong's "Oceans" song. :D

The Holy Spirit was really working that night on our team. The entire youth group surrounded us and prayed for us. And tears and hugs abounded, overflowing like a rushing river cascading over a mighty precipice, pouring powerfully into a rich waterfall of emotion..........oh, are you still there??

Day 37

Today was the day where (almost) everyone left me! Started the morning by saying goodbye to the greatest Australians I know, Daniel and Emily. (Yes, they're the only Aussies I know, but they are still the best!) It felt so wrong saying goodbye to everyone. It still feels wrong that the trip to Zim was so short. I felt like we were JUST getting started and really getting to know each other, and all of a sudden it was time to go. 

Dax took the rest of us to the Saturday morning sports ministry for the last time. A group of girls was standing off to the side just watching, and Betty somehow got them all dancing as only Betty can:

That night we had to say more goodbyes and drop off Betty and Evy at the ariport. I know it was especially hard for 14-year-old Evy. I miss you so much Ev!

Day 38

Had to say goodbye to Bekah in the morning which was a huge bummer. But thankfully, she's just a quick trip away in Tennessee! And I need to come visit! (Sidenote: We were together SO much and meeting SO many new people in Zim that if I had a dollar for every time I said "I'm from Florida, and she's from Tennessee," I could afford to go back to Africa right now. Dangit, I shoulda charged $1.) 

After that, I was officially the only one on the team left, but I still didn't want to leave! Which was good because, thankfully, I wasn't leaving for two more days! Gail let me come stay with her at her house, and Daniel Jenkins and I had also planned on recording another song, so the timing was perfect. I'm so glad I got to stay extra days! 

I went to church with Dax and Shep and then went out to eat afterward with them and their very wise, prophetic friend. She prophesied over me just as a lady had at youth group the night before. I may share more about that in a future post.

Day 39

Went to Daniel's to record our 2nd cover "Poison and Wine" by the Civil Wars. Listen to it here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfgsh2Pj-nk&feature=youtu.be

It was cool to have those few days to spend time with Gail and Daniel and experience more of what it would be like to grow up and live in Zimbabwe. I feel like I got a great taste of local life outside of the mission field which was awesome. 

That evening, Gail's family had friends over. We had dinner, played games, and ate vanilla ice cream with honey and cinnamon. It was the best.

Day 40

Oh the dreaded day. My last day in Africa....well....for now at least.... Forty days in Africa absolutely FLEW by! I'm serious when I say I could've stayed a year before even thinking about leaving. I was completely upset inside, but surprisingly was not crying. I don't think it had really hit me yet that I was leaving. 

I teared up a little as Gail took me to the airport. And again when she dropped me off, but by some miracle I still had not cried. But pretty much as soon as I sat down at my gate the floodgates opened and I cried. I finally felt the absence and realized the unavoidable.....I would be stepping on that plane, and who knew when I would go back? And even if I do go back, it will never be the same. The people are everything....and so many of the people will be different. 

So yeah, I cried like 5 times at the gate and wrote this little poem, which is possibly really dramatic and cheesy, but I'm gonna share it with you anyway, okay? So don't judge.

My notebook’s full of memories

My suitcase, full of things

But my heart is empty

It carries only dreams

Of bright African sunsets

People warm & strong

And as I leave the tarmac

It all feels wrong, so wrong

To leave this place that means so much

To trade it in for the Land of Stuff

Zimbabwe started slow and sweet

Yet warmed my heart with every beat

Zimbabwe stole the heart from me

Made it wild, set it free

And now its former cavity

Is desolate, sad—empty

But as I leave the ground below

I feel a flickering light of hope

Zimbabwe stole the heart from me

But left behind a planted seed

That I will water, I will feed

Till it becomes a part of me

Who can say how it will grow?

But I will toil, I will sow

To see what fruit this new life brings

To see how it will make me sing

Yet still my heart is left behind

It hurts me so, I’m asking why

And in a flash it all makes sense

The reason for my heart’s absence

Zimbabwe stole the heart from me

Made it wild, set it free

Zimbabwe stole the heart from me

So that apart we’ll never be.

I don't have any What I Learned About God & Life today because it would make this post insanely long and then you'll all be mad that I took up so much of your time and will never read my blog again. But there will be more posts to come! So for now-- The End. Or rather-- The Beginning. :)

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. -Isaiah 43:19

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sunset over zimbabwe. domboshava, september 2012. (© edward lindquist)

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sunset over zimbabwe. domboshava, september 2012. (© edward lindquist)

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heel kicks. domboshava, september 2012. (© edward lindquist)