Three years ago, I stood in line in the Hartsfield Jackson International terminal to check my bag for my flight to Uganda. As I waited, my phone started buzzing. I looked down: Chris Saxon is calling? I wondered if he'd forgotten I was leaving today.
Hey Whit, he said as I answered. I figured you might be leaving for your trip soon and I just wanted to make sure I said goodbye before you did. You're going to have a great time!
As we hung up, I smiled at my phone. What a nice guy, I thought. And we're not even dating! That Chris Saxon, I tell ya!
As I went about my trip during the next couple of weeks, I kept thinking about Chris. I was on my break from dating, but I knew I liked him. I hoped, hoped we'd date when I got back, but was trying to temper my own expectations.
We'd bonded a lot before I left over Africa. He'd spent two semesters in both Uganda and South Africa. As I played with kids there, worked on a school and traveled around the country, I just kept thinking that I might someday go to Africa with Chris. Calm yourself, Whitney, I'd remind myself in those moments. You aren't even dating. You are getting ahead of yourself.
But then, just as quickly as I'd scolded myself for thinking it, the thought would crop back up. Maybe, maybe, maybe, I'd let myself daydream.
Here we are today, 3 years and 3 months (1,179 days, to be exact) since Chris called me in the airport and I am so excited to share that we are heading to Kenya together next month. We'll be there for three weeks and will be volunteering with Development in Gardening (DIG).
We could not be more excited! The exact details of what we'll do while we are there are still being sorted out. We have our flights booked and will fly from Atlanta to Istanbul to Nairobi to Kisumi. From there, we'll spend the majority of the trip volunteering with DIG, until the very end when we go on a safari.
As we prepare for the trip, I'd absolutely love your prayers, if you're up for it! Specifically, if you'd be willing to pray for:
- Safety as we travel through Istanbul & Nairobi
- Safety during our stay
- That I don't get too homesick
- That Chris and I can use the time to connect with one another & listen to the Lord
- That we are prepared to love and connect with the people with whom we are interacting
Thank you so much for your support and prayers! It means the world to me!