I've been on enough short term mission trips to know that as far as blessing goes, it is me that does most of the receiving, not the people I'm visiting. The probability of my life being changed is much higher than theirs. Sure, I might make a difference in a life; I may even see people get healed. However, I think the only way to really change a nation is to fully immerse oneself in it and actually live there - like Heidi and Rolland (and so many others have). That said, it's way more important for you to know what is going on there and support THAT rather than give towards my trip. Pemba, Mozambique sits right on the Indian Ocean and they are currently experiencing horrible floods that are wiping out homes, etc. Please take a moment to visit Iris' website and learn more about what is going on and how you can help. Also, frequent updates, pictures and videos are being uploaded to Heidi's Facebook page so be sure to check there as well.
Well, tickets are purchased! Many of you have asked what my itinerary is - and while it's a little loose and uncertain at the moment, I can give y'all a first draft (minus the travel times - those are set!)
Sunday, June 29: 6pm flight out of JFK
Monday, June 30: arrive at 9:30pm in Johannesburg, South Africa
Tuesday, July 1: morning flight to Pemba, Mozambique and meet up with the rest of the team. (I was originally traveling with the whole group but b/c of a work conflict for me, I have to leave a day later and travel on my own). Afternoon arrival in Pemba, near the beautiful Indian ocean. Check into Iris Ministry base and settle into the visitor’s center. Orientation with staff
Wednesday, July 2 – Saturday July 5: Spend the next few days in Pemba at the Iris Base. Ministry opportunities on the base include an exciting overnight outreach to a remote village, as well as prayer times and worship, Hospital ministry or prison outreach, Meize village, medical outreach, village feeding program, (they are feeding over 1,000 kids every week) and special beach time with the children
Sunday, July 6: Enjoy Sunday morning celebration service at the Iris Base. Afternoon flight to Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. Take tour of Children’s Centre at the beautiful Zimpeto Iris Ministry base
Monday July 7: Outreach to the Garage Dump – visit church there and bless the people. Evening church service at the base with the staff, pastors, and children
Tuesday, July 8: Spend time with the kids in the children’s center. Special outreach possible
Wednesday, July 9: Depart early in the morning for all day Safari adventure in Kruger National Park. Kruger National Park is located about 3 hours from Maputo over the border in South Africa. Enjoy open-air trucks and up close encounters with God’s amazing creation! Overnight at game park lodging
Thursday, July 10: Morning breakfast and 3.5 hour drive to Johannesburg. 11pm flight out of South Africa for the states
Friday, July 11: arrive at JFK at 3:30pm, back in Jax around midnight!
I canNOT wait!
For those of you who are just joining the conversation and don't know what this is all about, read my previous post to get all caught up.
...a HUGE thank you to everyone who has contributed financially to my trip...there's no way I could do this without you. I am blown away by what has come in in just a short amount of time. I have just about $1000 left to raise before I am fully funded. If you feel led to contribute financially, there are a number of ways you can do that:
through my GoFundMe page - this is very easy and you can make payments via credit card (I also update it frequently with info about the trip, videos, pictures...)
through PayPal - Pay Pal is a quick and easy way to send money. My user name is lizbailey1978@gmail.com (just make sure that you select the 'I am sending money to friends/family' option - otherwise, there is a fee)
if you would like to send a check, simply make it out to me, earmark it 'Liz - Soul Safari' and mail it to me: 12296 Water Tupelo Road/Jacksonville, FL/32226
That's it for now - thank you all for your love and support!
...oh and for a little fun yet sobering entertainment, check this out:
(this was put together over 10 years ago so I'm sure all of these figures are even more staggering)
For as long as I can remember, there's been a certain tug on my heart from the far away land of Africa. It has definitely had its different reasons over the years but the tug has always been there, nonetheless. Growing up in the 80's I got to be a child in a generation of young people who watched those awful commercials of the little pot-bellied African children sitting in the dirt with flies swarming their faces. I remember as a very young girl feeling a little bit helpless. I don't think I was old enough to feel guilty - but I do have a very clear memory of seeing one of these commercials while I was making myself a very generous glass of chocolate milk and knowing that something about this scenario was unfair. I wanted to give that little starving girl my chocolate milk because I knew that I didn't need it. I was probably 5 years old.
Growing up, my dad was always very intentional about exposing my brother and me to the reality of the world just outside of our little privileged bubble. I'm grateful for where and how I grew up and I wouldn't change a thing about it - but I'm even more grateful to my parents, who were constantly reminding us how lucky we were by exposing us to those less fortunate and reminding us to never take for granted all that we had. My dad used to take me to pre-school every day. And every day, as we would cross over the Cooper River and into Charleston he would say, 'look at that, Pooh. We live in the most beautiful city in the world. We need to thank God that we get to live here.' Often, just as we came off the bridge, we would pass through a section of town that was nothing like our neighborhood. It was dirty. There were dilapidated houses and disheveld people wandering about. Without fail, every morning there would be a group of men sitting on a wall just around the corner from my school. My dad and I would wave to them every morning. I would roll down my window and stick half of my body out of the car to greet these guys. Sometimes, if we had enough time, we'd stop and buy them donuts. Looking back, I realize what my dad did for me. He treated those guys with the same respect that he did the businessmen on Broad Street. I thought those guys were our friends. It wasn't until many years later that I learned that they were homeless and most mornings, extremely intoxicated (which explained why they were so animated). But to me, they were a highlight of my day and I was always disappointed if they were not there. I'm beyond grateful that my dad taught me at a very young age to look people in the eye, shake their hand, and accept them regardless of their shape, size, color, status, etc.
In 1985, the most AMAZING thing happened. USA for Africa. Remember it?? Here, let me refresh your memory:
I was 7 and certain that this was going to solve all the worlds problems. Even though it didn't, what it did accomplish was solidify in a 7 year old little girls heart that someday she would visit Africa.
Well, if you thought 1985 was a good year...just wait for it. In 1986, I held hands with America. Who remembers that?? It was, in my 8 year old mind, the smartest and coolest thing ever thought up.
'Hands Across America' was a terrific idea and I was all in. I even got a tshirt. I remember thinking we were gonna change the world. Plus, there was no way I was missing the potential chance of holding hands with Kenny Rogers or c3po. (you have to watch the video for that to make sense). Anyway, my dad took me (and I suppose my mom and brother) up to the east side of town and we joined hands with the African American community (which, I'm sad to say, was a little abnormal for where we grew up and the way we grew up) and GET THIS...we sang 'We Are the World.' I was so fired up. I was holding hands with a young man from Africa. I remember thinking his accent was so cool. I remember looking up at him as he passionately sang 'there are people dying' with tears streaming down his face and knowing that our lives were very different. While still very young and not completely able to grasp the reality of just how privileged my life was compared to most of the world, I had a knowing deep within that I wanted to understand this man's life and where he came from.
Then I met Jama. I'm not sure exactly when we first met - probably 1988 or 1989. Jama Aden was a young Somalian and a member of the Somali Olympic track and field team. Through some simply amazing opportunities, my family was able to form relationships with Olympic runners from all over the world. But Jama was my favorite. Recently, I watched the movie 'Captain Phillips' about the pirated American cargo ship off the coast of Somalia. I couldn't help but think of Jama. I couldn't help but think about how his sport most likely rescued him from situations very similar to those portrayed in the movie. Jama was one of the lucky ones and he knew it. As a 10 year old girl, with no ability to comprehend what it was like to grow up the way Jama did, his stories moved me. They touched my heart in a way that changed me.
In 1994, well...
sorry, I had to do it. That was just a little comic relief. :)
Anyway, fast forward to 2003. I heard about this little blonde lady from California who was living in Mozambique and seeing miracles happen every day. Blind eyes were opening, deaf ears were hearing, dead people were being raised, multitudes were being fed from just a few plates of food. And she was saying all she was doing was loving them. Her approach was simple. Love God, love others. (sounds familiar, huh?). Anyway, her name was (and is) Heidi Baker and she is without a doubt, one of my heroes...
The more I heard about Mozambique and Heidi, the more I wanted to go there. It's been a dream in my heart for 11 years now to visit Mozambique and join in on what God is doing in that place. FINALLY, the time has come. I have the amazing opportunity to travel to Africa this July and fulfill a lifelong dream. I will be traveling with an organization called Global Awakening and our plan is to spend 10 days in Africa serving the poorest of the poor. We will serve food to thousands of street kids, we will pray for the sick, we will comfort those who are suffering, we will spend a night in tents in the bush to share the love of Jesus to unreached tribes, we will give the love that has been so lavishly poured out on us by our Heavenly Father. It will be amazing, heart wrenching, hard, wonderful, and everything in between. I know it will stretch me beyond what I think is possible. I will not be the same if and when I come back. (just kidding, mom and dad, I'm coming back). I can't wait.
I do need your help. Most importantly, I need your prayers. It's not totally unsafe, but it is also nothing like 22 Council Street (my childhood address). My personal safety, my health, finances, etc rest secure in God's hands. 'He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.' I am fully confident that everything I need for this trip will be provided in some way or another. I probably need about $5000 for this trip. If you would like to help, I would be so grateful.
There are a number of ways you can give:
through my GoFundMe page - this is very easy and you can make payments via credit card (I also update it frequently with info about the trip, videos, pictures...)
through PayPal - Pay Pal is a quick and easy way to send money. My user name is lizbailey1978@gmail.com (just make sure that you select the 'I am sending money to friends/family' option - otherwise, there is a fee)
if you would like to send a check, simply make it out to me, earmark it 'Liz - Soul Safari' and mail it to me: 12296 Water Tupelo Road/Jacksonville, FL/32226
I am so excited to share this experience with all of you. I am told that we will have very limited access to internet so I probably won't be able to communicate much while I'm there, but I will be sure to update you as much as I can and for sure when I return to the states. If you would like to be on the email list to receive these updates, simply email me at lizbailey1978@gmail.com.
I love you all - thank you so much for your love and support.
I've secretly always wanted to be a food blogger. Or one of those 'here's all my favorite beauty products' people. But, alas, I am neither of these things. HOWEVER - I feel that it is my civic duty to share my most favorite product of all time with you all.
Have you ever stood in the line at the grocery store and marveled at Blake Lively's hair? Or how about Jennifer Anniston's locks? How do they do it? Well, here's the answer: stylists. They have stylists. So, quit thinking you can be like them - unless you have a stylist, of course.
There's good news, though. You can get something semi-similar to those gorgeous, beachy waves and it will cost you a lot less. About a year and a half ago, I stumbled upon Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray (that's fancy French talk for Oribe After Beach Wave and Shine Spray).
Anyway, here's the thing. I'd buy this stuff even if it didn't work because of the way it smells. It has the most delightful scent I've ever come across. It's what I want heaven to smell like. Often, I'm tempted to just use it as a room deodorizer but that would be wasteful and sticky. But also - the stuff actually works. I rarely do anything with my hair. Seriously, there's just too much of it and not enough hours in the day. I don't have much of a 'routine' as it pertains to hair and makeup. I'm lucky if a brush gets through my hair every day. I will admit - I have good hair. Often, people comment on my hair and say really nice things about how pretty it looks. The best part about that is that those are usually the days that I haven't washed it in 3 days or brushed it in 4.
No lie, here's a conversation I had the other day:
person: Liz your hair looks amazing! What did you do to it?
me: um, I washed it 2 nights ago, didn't brush it, wadded it up on top of my head and then let it down this morning.
Anyway, so back to the Oribe Apres Beach...it's amazing. And it works. If you've got any body at all, it tames all that frizzy junk and gives you perfect, delicious smelling waves. Also, you sorta do feel like Blake Lively all day. And I mean...come on...she's married to Ryan Reynolds...who wouldn't want to feel like her for a day?
So the moral of this story is: buy yourself some Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray. And don't come running to me all upset saying 'OMG it cost's $35 a bottle!' cuz I'm telling you now. It costs $35 a bottle. But, it's worth it. Your hair will smell like heaven. And it will look like something straight off the cover of People mag.
So there you have it. My first and probably last beauty/style/product post. I hope you all realize that this is a once in a lifetime thing and you will all go out and buy some of this stuff. You won't be sorry.
time really does fly. I often think about the passing of time and it makes my brain hurt. It's something I try to figure out and it's like that first long division problem I tried to do in 3rd grade...there was no possible way there was an answer to that. I think about how when a person flies to Australia and somehow on a journey that actually doesn't take 3 days, you lose a day. Like, you take off on a Monday and you land on a Wednesday but you weren't actually flying for 48 hours. Where the heck did Tuesday go?? Last week, a friend of mine was in a country that was 11 hours ahead of us here on EST and I couldn't for the life of me figure out how it was possible that she was existing in the future. Also, her journey back started on a Tuesday, she traveled for 30 hours and arrived here still on a Tuesday afternoon. HUH? Anyway, things like this keep me awake at night. Time, as we understand it: in a linear, chronological order is weird. There's the answer you've all been searching for regarding the passing of time. It's weird - don't try and figure it out.
It's a really great thing that God is outside of time. There's nothing linear or chronological about the way God looks at time or the way He is involved in our timeline. I like that. Even though it's maybe even more mysterious, I like it better. It feels safe. Because we can be going along with our day, watching the minutes go by and suddenly...the Creator of time itself can insert Himself in a moment and bring peace, comfort, revelation, challenge, direction, etc, etc, etc...and it has NOTHING to do with the time on my watch (or my phone. who wears watches anymore?). Anyway, I've learned that there are fancy words for the way we understand time. Time, as we view it most of our days, in the seconds, minutes and hours that pass is chronos. Time, as it pertains to a specific point in which God enters and makes Himself known is kairos. It's the kairos that we must look for. It's the kairos that we must pay attention to.
Here's what Webster says:
Kairos (καιρός) is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment). The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies a time between, a moment of indeterminate time in which something special happens. What the special something is depends on who is using the word. While chronos is quantitative, kairos has a qualitative nature. In the New Testament kairos means "the appointed time in the purpose of God", the time when God acts (e.g. Mark 1.15, the kairos is fulfilled). It differs from the more usual word for time which is chronos (kronos).
Anyway, on this day one year ago, God intervened. Many of you remember the journey I was on last year to get Ana Maria to the states for brain surgery. Looking back, I cannot believe all that has happened in a year. One year ago today, I took my place on a dirty, loud, smelly street corner in the Dominican Republic and fixed my eyes on the door to the American embassy. The hope was that Ana Maria would walk out with a Visa. We had no idea what the minutes, hours, days, weeks and months ahead had for us. If we knew, we may have backed out. Too much time, too many obstacles. But since we have a God who is outside of that kind of time, we leaned into His understanding and gave Him our trust. The 5 1/2 hours of waiting and inhaling diesel fumes became meaningless when Ana Maria got her 'yes' from the immigration official...because God stepped into that moment and demonstrated his sovereign nature.
“Charleston has a landscape that encourages intimacy and partisanship. I have heard it said that an inoculation to the sights and smells of the Carolina lowcountry is an almost irreversible antidote to the charms of other landscapes, other alien geographies. You can be moved profoundly by other vistas, by other oceans, by soaring mountain ranges, but you can never be seduced. You can even forsake the lowcountry, renounce it for other climates, but you can never completely escape the sensuous, semitropical pull of Charleston and her marshes.” ~ Pat Conroy
