Life Interupped

Sunday, May 1st was my last day of work at Grace Lutheran Church as the Director of Christian Education. I won't go into the emotions of leaving my beloved job of 3.5 years - suffice it to say it ripped my lungs out. (Honestly, I don't know that I would have become a missionary had I known how difficult leaving Grace would be.)

I had given most of my household to the April 27, 2011 Tuscaloosa, Alabama tornado victims. Everything: bedroom, living room, dining room furniture, bike, kitchen gadgets, backyard and garage contents. My donation filled, completely filled the 20 foot U-Haul truck that Pastor Chris & Laura Brynestad had come in.

I had to be out of my house on Thursday, May 18th.

Wednesday, May 11th I received a email, yes an email! notifying me that due to conflict in Uganda that my departure date was postponed.
W H A T  ?????????? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No job! No house! Life Interrupted. I'm homeless and unemployed - seriously.

I continued with the plans and plane tickets that I had for the 3 weeks of good-byes and the necessary fundraising.  Not knowing how long the postponement was to last, I placed my Ugandan packed two 25 gallon tubs in my storage unit and boarded a plane on Thursday, May 18th to Tulsa, Oklahoma, my hometown of 14 years.

Eileen, Sarah, Elissa, Steve, Brendan Beale

Monday, May 23rd I was off to Baltimore, Maryland to see almost all the Beale family. Friday, off to Gettysburg, PA to meet Karen Walhstrom's parents and fellow missionaries Fred & Roberta Anderson and ended the week at the Wahlstrom's home in Gloucester, VA. Tuesday, May 31 Karen drove me to the half-way point where my son and his girlfriend retrieved me. I was thrilled to see the Virginia Tech campus because my brilliant son will graduate with his master's degree before I return from my missionary service, thus in all likelihood this was the first and last time I would see the home of the Hookies.

Mother & daughter

Friday, June 3rd I flew across America from Virginia to California. From the arms of my son to the arms of my daughter. Quick preparations for my Bon Voyage Party at my daughter's Marina Del Rey home on Saturday.  Sadly, the scheduled departure date for Uganda of Pentecost, Sunday June 12th came and went.

Questioning God. Wondering if I heard His voice telling me to serve in the mission field, filled with angst I returned to Pensacola for 4 days to repack.  Actually, having to drag an extremely heavy suitcase across 7 states and into so many gracious host homes, I pared my belonging down to the bare essentials, visited my beloved cat Soloman and headed off to volunteer/serve with the disaster relief efforts of the Southern District of the Lutheran church.  Good Shepherd, Gardendale, AL became my home for 3 weeks.

A dear and wonderful friend of mine, you know the kind you can whine and complain to and they just say exactly what you don't want to hear.  "Zeal, look for many, many wonderful blessings during this time of waiting." blech.  And he of course was right.  Blessings were everywhere and I was learning many important lessons that God knew I needed before I got to Africa. One such blessing was I realized how much I love the Body of Christ and love being with His children.  The Body of Christ was taking very good care of me.

Another blessing was being in the USA and able to attended the two week (July 5 - 16) missionary orientation held in our mecca, St. Louis, Mo.   It was there that I learned from my name tag my reassignment. Yes, on my name tag it read ZEAL BEALE, SOUTH AFRICA.  I wish I could tell you I was thrilled, but I can't lie.  I spent many weeks mourning the lost of Uganda.  Slowly, ever so slowly I began to warm up to the thought of South Africa and the AIDS orphanage in Shongweni Village where, my ministry partner Ginger and I would be serving. http://www.africanorphansproject.org



Back to Pensacola, to get a chest x-ray (to prove to that I don't have TB) my birth certificate, another medical physical and a STATE police report. Those necessary pieces of paper plus many other forms and paperwork for the 3year volunteer VISA for South Africa.  This all took 9 days.  Thanks again to Holly Lovett and Amy Buker for loving and lodging me.

By now I've lost count of the beds I've slept in, the cities, the states, the miles and the money.  Summer 2011 is a blurr and I've still don't have a departure date.  Back to the blessing... more time to raise that pesty money needed to fund my 18 months of being a missionary.  I know, I know what you're thinking.  No one can believe I have to raise my own money to serve the Lord.  Sad but true!

The Saint Louis Cathedral is the oldest Cathedral in North America,
founded as a Catholic Parish in 1720 along the Banks of the Mississippi River.

I'm off again, it's July 26th and this time to my beloved New Orleans and Camp Restore to serve for 3 weeks.  By August 12th my children realize I'm still here and we can squeeze in one more wild and crazy weekend together - so another plane ride and I'm off to spoil and love on my children and their honey's. The 5 of us have a blast and take in the musical LOIN KING. It only seemed appropriate.

Soloman, the world's greatest cat!

Another plane ride to pop back to Southern California, as I have the time to visit my 84 year old mother one more time.

The final and absolute last trip to Pensacola for final packing and last hugs and kisses to Grace Lutheran Church, my friends, my house, my car, and my beloved Soloman.  With a tear of happiness to finally be leaving for what has been a year old adventure and a tear of sadness to be leaving my beautiful life I loved in Florida - I was off.

I spent my last few days in St. Louis with the Lessing's. Good-bye America.

                                                                    


So, in God's timing
and sovereignty I departed Thursday, September 1st.  St. Louis to Atlanta, GA. Boarded the Delta flight for the 16 hour flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg, South Africa.  God is in control, which is a fact that only took the summer of 2011 and a life interrupted to learn.