Soon to depart!

How time flies. It seems like yesterday I was at my interview with Oasis for this trip, and now, here I am, 23 hours away from my plane leaving Heathrow. I can't believe this is my last night in Scotland of 2010!

So, I've done a little tour of the country to say goodbye to all the lovely people in my life, and have spent the last few days seeing family and (duh duh duuuuuuh) packing. It has been an emotional rollercoaster making lists, re-writing lists, buying essentials, buying non-essentials, putting things in my suitcase and rucksack, taking things out my suitcase and rucksack, swapping things from my suitcase TO my rucksack, swapping things from my rucksack to my suitcase, taking things out again, putting them back in... Finally, though, at approximately 9:07pm tonight, I finished. Suitcase the right weight, rucksack the right weight, hand luggage full to burst, but still the right weight. It is a miracle. I still have a sneaky feeling I'll have to take some books out when I come to airport check-in though. Oh, how life is stressful. However, the first challenge of my trip has been overcome. Joanna 1, baggage allowance 0.

Jess, Helen and I are due to arrive in Harare early afternoon on Thursday (there's a time difference of 1 hour). We'll have a week, give or take a few days, of orientation, then the real work will begin. We have been given a provisional timetable, which involves a mix of teaching at the preschool, leading health and recreational classes, and working in Northside Community Church with the young people and children, but as we were told at our training - it's Africa! So any plans can change at the last minute, so I won't bother going into too much detail until I'm there. That said, there are still a few things that I would greatly appreciate prayer for:

• a safe journey to Harare for myself and the team - we are flying to Harare from Heathrow on Wednesday night, via Nairobi.
• safety in the country - particular on the roads and at night. As the only driver in the team, I will be doing a lot of the driving to and from the schools and church, and from what I hear African roads are a little different to here in the UK!
• an open mind and willingness to learn and adapt - I am very aware that things may be difficult for us at the start as we are thrown into a lifestyle completely different to what we have known up until now, so
• that our relationships within the team and with the locals and those we work with would be blessed.
• a heart to persevere when the going gets tough, and remember why we are there and our vision as a team - we know that this is not going to be plain sailing for the whole five months, but we hope to be able to continue and overcome the challenges and difficulties!

Thank you. The next time I write this I'll be in Zimbabwe - what a thought! Anyway, must go to update my iPod with the music I'm going to be listening to for the next five months...

God bless,

Jo