"Great minds think alike," so they say! Here is my last blog in Mark's own words and a lot more detail. I didn't realize he was planning on writing, but so glad he did!
Hello all from Africa!!!
Sorry it's taken me so long to make our first post from Swaziland but as we like to say here in Africa, the only thing that is predictable - is the unpredictability of things in Africa.
Bailey and my flight to Africa was incredible. Thanks to Jamie's dear friend Ashley Clark (who donated Delta Buddy Passes to us) we got bumped up to first class plane tickets and the ride over was truly FIRST CLASS. I've never before had the opportunity to experience international first class but the ride felt like we were sitting in our living room being waited on hand and foot for 16 hours. Bailey's long face at check-in quickly turned into a smile when we were notified of the upgrade - thanks Ashley!
We arrived Friday evening and spent the night at the Johannesburg airport hotel as it was too late to make it to the border before it closed. On Saturday we boarded a 14 passenger van that Kaleli Mulli (Heart for Africa's farm manager) drove over to pick us up. After a five hour drive and crossing the border into Swaziland, we arrived to our new homes.
Unfortunately, we were not able to immediately move into the house we will be renting as the existing resident will not be out until Tuesday. We ask for your prayers for Shirley as she leaves Swaziland on Tuesday to go to South Africa for 6 weeks of medical treatments. Shirley was in great spirits as we arrived and graciously helped with arrangements for us to stay on Project Canaan until she departs tomorrow.
Our next challenge came while trying to collect our belongings that were shipped over 7 weeks ago. Apparently customs requires us to personally show up to take possession of our shipping container and all of our paperwork was not exactly as they would have liked. ian/Janine and I spent most of the day today dealing with customs and other governmental organizations trying to get things straightened out. We're hoping the container will be delivered tomorrow and we'll be able to begin the process of unloading our lives ... at least that is our hope.
All of this is going on while Jamie, Cameron, and Austin have flown to Kansas City to be with my parents. On Sunday my parents threw a party for us with all of their friends to celebrate our move. On Tuesday morning the family will all load up and make the old (but familiar) trip to Fayetteville, Arkansas to get Austin enrolled and through orientation. This is the same trip they made with me some 32 years ago ... wow, that is hard to believe! Then on Thursday they will all head back to Kansas City where Austin will head back to Atlanta and Jamie/Cameron will come join me in Africa. I can't wait! Austin will soon join us for a couple of weeks at the end of July until I travel back with him to start school in mid August.
Please continue to pray for us as we make this transition. Pray for safe travels for all and that I quickly adapt to driving on the left side of the road. My first experience with traffic was last night trying to make it home from the gas station ... it was quite comical to say the least. Turn signals and high beams are transposed with windshield wipers and washer fluid so getting home was quite an experience. I'm sure I'll have it all worked out by next weekend when I drive to Johannesburg to pick them all up.
We truly appreciate all of the prayers and inquiries as to how things are going. I'm sorry I'm so late in posting but it's been difficult getting online and connected to the internet. We hope to have all of this resolved in the next few days. As expected, the internet will be somewhat sketchy, but hopefully it will be consistently sketchy so we know what to expect.
We love you all - and thanks again,
Mark and Bailey=
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