Where does Adele fit into the picture?

When people ask me about my heritage, I often say that I am African. My family have lived in South Africa for many generations. I am African by birth, Afrikaans by heritage and global by destiny.

I have lived abroad for close to 10 years now. I moved to Taiwan in 1995 to work as a career missionary. I served at Overseas Radio and Television, a ministry based in Taipei, Taiwan. At ORTV, I worked as an editor for the English magazines we produced. I loved my job and often thought that I'd probably retire in Taiwan despite the earthquakes and typhoons which frequently hit the island.

In 2002, however, God brought an incredible opportunity acrross my path. I was offered a scholarship at Azusa Pacific University in California. While teaching part-time at APU's ESL (English as a Second Language) program, I completed a Masters degree in Organizational Leadership. As graduation approached, I sought God regarding the next step in the journey. I could easily go back to Taiwan. I considered relocating to China, Tibet or Nepal. But as I was praying about various missions opportunities, I sensed God asking me what I will do about AIDS in Africa. As an African, what would I do about the pandemic?

At first, I considered moving to Mozambique, where I had taken missions teams both in 2003 and 2004. But God guided me in a different direction, and I ended up accepting a position with Global Action Canada. This ministry focuses on the plight of women around the world.

So, what am I doing in Cedar Rapids? And why am I going to Kenya with this team?

While living in Taiwan, Pat and I became good friends. We were involved in Youth Ministry at Taipei International Church. Pat started working at NCBC soon after I started graduate studies in California. She offered me a place to stay while I'm doing support raising.

I clearly remember the morning Danette told me that she'd be going to Africa before the year was up. It was the same morning Pat shared that God had challenged her to "get out of the boat" and go to Africa by Thanksgiving. As they were talking about what God was challenging them to do, I thought that there would be no way for me to be able to join them. But as time went by and I prayed about it, God confirmed in my heart that I should join the team.

I see my purpose for going as two-fold:

1) Mentor the other three team members in how to lead a short-term missions team. In my mind, the role of a leader always includes training up other leaders. And though Pat is our leader, I can provide tools that I have picked up while leading teams from APU.

2) Make connections in Kenya to take future teams from Canada. So, while Pat and Danette will be visiting the Kyomyos in Uganda, Lori will join me for meetings around Nairobi with other ministries.

Of course, being from Africa and being passionate about my continent, I look forward to showing off the beauty of Africa to the team. (Pat has been to Africa before. Lori and Danette have not.) I look forward to introducing them to some of the African customs, how Africans wash their hands before a meal (yes, it's different from how Americans do it) and how we shake hands with both hands. I look forward to sitting around the kitchen fires with them, talking to the women at the center where we'll be. (They still cook over open fires.) I look forward to waking them to see the African sunrise. I look forward to challenging them daily during debriefing to share about what cultural differences they had noticed. And I can't wait for our short debriefing at the end of the journey to introduce them to some of God's priceless creations: lions, giraffes, elephants and more.

Do I look forward to going back to Africa soon? You bet I do? But more than anything, I look forward to meeting people whom I have heard much of from friends at APU, to loving the children at the orphanage, to coming back with memories of God's precious children on the other side of the globe--and get ready to take others to be touched by God through the orphans.