Moving from the Honeymoon to Real Life

First off, the hiatus has been far too long between posts, and for that I apologize. It's been almost two months now since I've been here in George. The time has arrived for the real groove of life to start here. My "honeymoon" period is over now, the time when every experience is fresh and interesting simply because it's done in the context of a different culture. While this was a bit discouraging for me initially, it has been replaced by something more meaningful. God is not only introducing more and more genuine friends in my life, but is revealing to me more of Himself, and for that there is no substitute. Regardless of what I thought going into this time, I packed along a great deal of expectations into my mind as to what my South African experience would look like. In reality, most of those expectations have not come to fruition, and I'm totally okay with that. This time has been formative already for me, and I am falling in love with the many cultures and people groups in South Africa in new ways. I'm not sure what my future holds, but I know that this country will be a part of who I am for the rest of my life. My only response at this stage is to be open to what God would do next, an openness which is both risky and freeing. I am incredibly fortunate to be here, and equally blessed to have good people in my life. Please keep me in your prayers, I cherish them as I walk through each day.