Ethiopia - Day 1 - Preparing for Departure

“All my bags are packed.” The Leaving on a Jetplane lyric flashes through my mind.  Then a series of wedding rings derail the mood.  I’m mostly missing Gilbert the dog. I left him with a beautiful friend Belinda yesterday. At worst her husband will be taking him on motorcycle adventures, nothing new for Gilbert. The cat, George, Gilbert’s best friend was not impressed when only I arrived. George knows something is up.  There’s a serious emptiness in my home without Gilbert. Last night he didn’t bring me a ball to throw or jump on my chest to spontaneously lick my face.  Late at night he didn’t climb onto the bed to lie beside me.  George is quite forlorn.  It’s only a couple of weeks but in cat and dog years this becomes months.  

I’ve hardly slept, thinking of everything that could go wrong.  Recurrent theme of custom confiscation of my DEET mosquito repellant or my anti malaria pills.  I’ll be flying some 20 hours, leaving today, flying to Frankfurt, waiting hours there then arriving tomorrow night.  I keep reminding myself that’s it’s not as far as Tokyo flights, not so different from Israel. I see myself squished between the very fat talkative female wrestler and the easily offended obsessive compulsive person demanding more than their space. Somehow in the scenario someone has mixed up my aisle seat.  I’m actually excited.  The hours ticking down to departure carry with them the sense of adventure.

I’ve arranged extra security for my place.  People checking in, neighbours all watching, cameras and locks.  I don’t want to come home to any surprises. I’m praying for my person and my ‘stuff’.  I’m really praying for the good health of family and friends and the fur babies.  

It’s going to be incredible. My first trip to Ethiopia. I’m going to see Lucy.  3.2 million year old ancestor. I’m going to see and feel the Ark at St. Mary’s. I’m so looking forward to the World Heritage churches cut out of the rock at Lallibela.  I’m enjoying reading The Teaching of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church by ABBA Melketsedec.  “What is the nature of God?”  What is the significance  of the Holy Bible.  The Old and New Testament inspired by the Holy Spirit and read by man in prayer hoping for understanding inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Logos.  One God and God made the world in his image. I remember Dr. Carl Ridd at University of Winnipeg stopping there and saying, “image, imagination”.  They’re the same root.  To face the truth.  To stand before God in awe.  To be always a little afraid. The unknown is such.  

Now it’s time to get in the shower.  The Cat’s food and litter are fine. Laura, herself house sitting her sisters’ cementing dog with her place, will stop by.. I’m thankful for modern surveillance.  

Before I set out to sail down the Pacific coast in my 40 foot Folkes Cutter rigged sloop I investigated all the reasons for ships being lost at sea. A third oof cases the ship was wholly inadequate for the task or conditions, while a third  of  the time the captain and crew were too uneducated and inexperienced.  In a third of cases the loss was a mystery.  When I bicycled across Europe as a youth with a brave and beautiful new wife I didn’t known anything.  Somehow, mostly thanks to prayers of our families we survived and had an adventure.  I underestimated the power of prayer when I was young.  Now that I’m older I have more humility and greater respect.  This trip is more pilgrimage really. A trip to New Jerusalem.  A time away from work, back from the front lines, hoping to heal spiritually.   God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. One God. Halleleljuah!