Foreshadowing

My first day in South Africa was nothing short of frightening. We arrived at the dorms after two very hectic days of traveling, and it finally hit me that I was going to be living in a foreign country for six months. I didn't know anyone, I didn't know the language, heck, I didn't even know what classes I was going to take. After carrying Free Willy (the name my family has given my suitcase..real funny, guys) up two flights of stairs and plopping the big ol' gal down in the living room, I reached in my purse and found a slip of paper. This isn't uncommon, considering 1. I am the messiest person alive, and 2. I jot down notes on random pieces of paper all day, just to cram them in the nearest bag and completely forget what I had written (kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?).

Anyways, this piece of paper was a bit more special. Ya see, last semester I was having a particularly rough day in College Station (I had probably just gotten back an Anatomy test), was laying in my bed contemplating the meaning of life or world hunger or something else deep and meaningful, and rolled over to see my Bible sitting on my bedside table. I'm not going to say divine intervention put it there, but I don't remember moving it. I opened it up and just started reading. Philippians is a particular favorite of mine, so I decided to start there. I'm a bit of an ADD reader and usually find myself jumping from line to line, not really reading complete sentences until I find a word I like and then I hang out there for a while. On this particular day I came across Philippians 4:6-7, fell in love, and immediately wrote it down on the nearest piece of paper I could find. Thankfully, I didn't have to search far because my room looked like Hurricane Katrina's debris junk yard. I jammed the paper in my purse, and went about my day with new-found optimism. It wasn't until the day I arrived in my flat in Africa that I found it again, and it brought me immediate comfort.

The point of the story is this: sometimes the tiniest event can happen and you don't realize how meaningful it is until four months down the road when you're stranded in a foreign country, feeling like the loneliest person who has ever lived, and wondering what the heck made you want to move to Africa. Upon finding the paper, and more importantly, the verse, in my bag I suddenly didn't feel so alone after all. The thing is, you don't have to constantly be surrounded by a ton of people to be content. Sometimes all you need is a piece of paper...

And what kind of blogger would I be without actually showing you the verse?

Philippians 4:6-7
6 Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Can I get an "amen"?

This verse got me through not only the first few days, but also the past few, that I have spent here in Africa. I will never complain about being here, because I know that I am living out the opportunity of a lifetime and am fortunate enough to be doing something that many only dream of, but at the same time, I want all of my friends and family at home to know that I care about you and value your friendship and companionship dearly. I love all of you.

See you soon! XOXO