T-Minus Two Days

Sunday, July 5th.

That's when I will officially board a plane from Shreveport, LA to fly to Tel Aviv, Israel; making stops in Houston, TX and Newark, NJ on the way.

Bags are (mostly) packed, itinerary has been printed, important documents scanned and copied, and visa approved. Various goodbyes to friends and extended family members have been said, and the last few loose ends are in the process of being tied up. Finally, with the number of items on my to-do list dwindling closer and closer to zero, the reality of my departure is beginning to sink in:

I leave in two days.

I've been avoiding this realization; ever since the idea of volunteering in Israel first entered my head, over a year and a half ago now, I intentionally put a mental block on the image of me actually boarding the plane to take me there. The idea of physically getting on the plane to Israel was just too hard - too scary.

There have been enough obstacles for me to focus on in the meantime, plenty of steps I have had to take and processes I have had to go through which have kept me distracted from the final step which will tangibly begin my 11-month long journey in a foreign country. A journey that will take me away from friends and family and all things familiar to me. A journey that will push me further outside my comfort zone than I have ever been before.

But, as the time gets ever closer, the feelings of panic have begun to diminish and the sense of excitement has grown. The fear is still there - the unknown - but, strangely enough, I feel ready for it.

I know it is going to be hard. I have no illusions about that. I am going to miss everyone so much, and adjusting to a new place, culture, and time zone is going to be both difficult and overwhelming. I have many questions, and feel very much like I am going into a lot of this blind to a certain extent. However, even so, I feel a sense of peace about it all as well. Like a small pebble of confidence lies buried underneath all of the nerves and anxiety.

Just like in the beginning, when all of this first started to come together, I very much feel God's hand working in the midst of it. This calling to go over there and serve has been reaffirmed again and again by certain pieces falling into place, as well as through the amazing support and encouragement I have received from my church family and friends. Though I do not know all the details yet about what exactly I will be doing, or how my experiences there will change and shape me for my future in ministry, I do know that this is where God is calling me to be.

In two days, I will officially depart to serve as an Individual Volunteer in Mission for the United Methodist Church. And, though I may be stepping onto that plane to Israel by myself, I know that I will not be alone.