Well. Today is the day. I am leaving for Ghana at 7:35pm. I will arrive in Ghana tomorrow night at 8:20pm Ghanian time. I have mixed feelings. I thought I would be bursting with excitement right now but I'm actually not. Even though studying and interning in Africa is something I've been praying to do for a long long time, I know I am leaving a lot behind. I am going to miss my friends and family so much. It will be hard for me not to see them for one year. ONE YEAR.
My family is the GREATEST. They will be sorely missed. I love them all and I don't know where I would be without their endless support, prayer, and love. My family, I know, will always be there for me. They are my heart. However, I could do without a few of the Africa jokes (My mother breaking out in African dance at the family reunion, my brother telling me I'm going to marry Prince Saleen, and my sister warning me not to come back sunburnt with the dirty tan I always get). Ridiculously stereotypical lol. Oh, I love them!
My friends are the GREATEST. I don't know anyone else on the planet who has so many good friends as me. Friends who are honest, real, amazing, loving, supportive, and Christ-like. So many of my friends from both high school and Georgetown are my backbone. They are my laughter and my comfort. I am going to miss my friends dearly.
Basically, this is NOT easy for me. Leaving everything you know and everything you love behind is not a walk in the park. HOWEVER, however, I must remind myself that I am not going for me. I'm not going for my own wants, needs, and desires. I am going to Ghana for a year because I know deep down within my soul that God has called me to do so. He wants me to go to Ghana and do a mighty work. Not only will I be taking five classes at the University of Ghana but I will also be interning for a year at a local orphanage. I will be studying international development and international politics. I hope to make a major difference and to really change lives. I hope to witness things I've never witnessed and do things I've never done. I hope to be really be able to make a difference: to raise money, to garner support, to be involved in people's lives. I want to be blessed while blessing others. I want to prepare myself fully for my own future. A future in which I plan on building my own orphanages across West Africa for children infected with HIV/AIDS. I want the orphanage to be their home, school, hospital, and place of worship. In fact, God has already revealed the name of my orphanage to me: "Extraordinary Strides." I am not Tamika Nicole. I am a God's child. I have been called to do His work. Doing the Lord's work is a major responsibility and a major blessing. I pray that He will keep me and that I will always turn to Him.
So even though I will miss my family and friends so much, in a year, God willing, I will be back in their presence again. I have no reason to be sad because I am about to embark on the greatest adventure of my life. I already know I will be immensely blessed and will feel the presence of the Lord all around me. I honestly, just can't wait to do the Lord's work and become a little closer to my God, my Father, my maker. Ok so I am actually getting really really excited right now. Oh Africa. I've been waiting so long to return!
God keeps on blessing me. My ticket is paid for (thank you Georgetown), my bills are paid, everything I needed for the trip is bought and I still have a significant amount of spending money. He handled it all. All the obstacles that came up were no match for my God. Nothing, nothing, nothing lies in the hands of humans when you're on God's side. He will make a way. He has surely proved that during these past few months and days. He is amazing.
As I embark on my journey and forever long flights I just pray for traveling mercy and that he continue to be with me. I pray that he comforts my friends and family when I leave as they have expressed to me numerous times how much they will miss me. They say its harder to leave than to be left-let me think about that. I'm definitely gonna miss them more!
Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. I'll be sure to blog often and notify everyone of my safe arrival. And of course I will post pictures!
Other random facts:
Yes, you can still email me.
If you want to talk to me for free download Skype and you can call me, chat me, and speak to me via video phone. My Skype name is TamikaNicole.
I will not be able to text you anymore. :(
I will have a cell phone once I get to Ghana but I don't know how useful it will be to Americans. I will give my Ghanian cell phone number to close friends and family just in case you feel like spending the extra buck to call me. It's free for me to receive an international phone call, not so free for you.
Love
Tamika Nicole
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