Jaco - It is 5am on day three after our engagement on Spring Day. I'm still on Cloud 9!!! Reality this morning, here where I am about to knock on Sandra's door, is that we need to say "goodbye". We won't see one another until November. We knew this beforehand as I already committed to go and train Operation Mobilization's new crew for the Medical Mission boat at Lake Tanganyika, 4,000kms away from here in Central Africa.
Sandra - The striking reality of a ring on my finger but no soul-mate in sight... The only thing that keeps me going, is faith in Jesus who knows what lies ahead. It is quite a difficult time emotionally or shall I rather say, an emotionless time. I have to hold on to what I KNOW I am feeling without really FEELING it. I am constantly torn between two very opposite emotions, that of happiness as I have found my soul-mate and the excitement of being together on our first missionary trip with me interceding for him all the time and; that of sadness knowing that my time with my 13-year old daughter, Jessica, is drawing to a close. She is leaving for the UK to finish high school.
Jaco - The new pick-up we bought for Passage of Bahar is doing fine over the first 1,000kms. Just a pity I cannot go all the way to the lake as it is within it's first service and could only travel as far as Keetmanshoop, Namibia with it. The next 3,000kms, a 5-day bus trip from Keetmanshoop to Mpulungu at Lake Tanganyika, was a real killer. With my spirit strong, I had to hang on physically for dear life. Training of the crew went well and everyone is happy, especially me... I cannot wait to see Sandra again and to start planning for our wedding on December 18th.