Firsts….

Firsts are always a little intimidating….surely you remember that first time you spent the night away from home, or the first time you held the hand of someone you liked, or how about the first time you got behind the wheel of a car? Firsts can be scary; however, they carry with them a sense of excitement and adventure. They lend themselves to taking risks and exploring the unknown. There is a certain unrestrainable fervor at the thought of entering into something new. One of my favorite movie characters, Forrest Gump, reflects on the importance of firsts:

“Ya know, it’s funny what a young man recollects, cuz I don’t remember bein’ born. I don’t recall what I got for my first Christmas, and I don’t know when I went on my first outdoor picnic, but I do remember the first time I heard the sweetest voice in the wide world. I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life. She was like an angel.”

As I ready myself for my 6-week trip to Durban, South Africa this summer, I too am experiencing that excitement. I know that there will be certain adventures that I’ll never forget. Likewise, there will be challenges that confront me that I’ve never dreamed possible. The thought of entering into and becoming a part of a new culture is exciting. And yet, as exciting as it will be, there will certainly be situations I will not be able to handle on my own accord. It will take faith in God to carry me through these times. As the anonymous author of the Book of Hebrews wrote in chapter 11, verse 1: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.” Faith first, I head to Africa….