My Africa

This is a really tough one - what to put as my very first blog? Shouldn’t it be something really inspiring, something that would make you want to keep reading?!!! Hmmm…… We may have to leave the inspiring for later! Perhaps I’ll start with a little bit about me. Altho’ I was born in Canada my parents moved to Zimbabwe when I was still a young baby and I lived there for 31 years! Zimbabwe was just the BEST place to grow up in - no snow for one thing!! It was a place where I saw stunning sunrises over Kariba, the majestic mountains of Nyanga, the thundering water at Victoria Falls, elephants in my back yard, forest fires in the vlei, old men playing checkers outside the Pendennis shops with coke tops, flowering trees in every colour, I remember sitting in our Mexican apple tree and eating apples until my tummy was sore and the juice dripped down my chin - where you go to sleep at night with the sound of African drums beating in the field next door. I miss the smiling black faces, the smell of long awaited rain, going down the Gwebi on a tube, walking in the bush. I miss Zimbabwe.

A couple of things have really defined my life - Africa, marrying the man of my dreams, my two beautiful children and meeting my Saviour. Funnily enough I met Jesus when I was very young, about 7 years old and walked with Him. When I reached my teens I ran from Him!! My very independent spirit said I could do it on my own!! I made MANY mistakes, some sad ones, some hard ones, some defining ones. Finally - when I was about 28 - the Lord got my attention and even though I am still so independent that was when the best years of my life began!! Walking with Him is like nothing on earth, hearing Him talk to you is the most incredible thing, seeing Him at work literally takes your breath away!

I moved to Canada with my wonderful Husband, Andy, and my adorable little boy, Anthony, in 1998. It was such a tough transition at first, I missed my friends, my life, my maid!!! :) My Africa. But it has been an adventure, one I couldn’t have done without my God, my Father, my Teacher, the Lover of my Soul, the All Sufficient One. My beautiful little princess, Hannah, was born here in Canada in January, 2000 and has not yet set foot on African soil. The only true Canadian amongst us, eh!

I could tell you sooooo many wonderful things about Canada and our life here but I think I will leave that for a later post! Perhaps I shall call it My Canada!!