I am writing this blog from beautiful Swaziland, and from where I sit I can see our old house. I used to push Emi in a stroller around this neighborhood when she was just a little baby. Now she is talking and running alongside our friend Kriek as she pushes her little baby girl in a stroller. I cannot believe how much can happen in 18 months! Visiting Swaziland is such an incredible blessing and my heart is so full!
Jodi and Emi and I are half way through our 2-½ week trip, and I just can’t wait another minute before sharing some exciting news with you…….
I’m going to be launching a NEW JOURNEY within Global Challenge Expeditions…
You guys know that we’ve been here working with Global for the past year, and I’ve been helping with training and with the teams’ mid-year debrief sessions, etc. Well, now that we are settled in here, I’ve been asked to pioneer the first ever trip Global mission trip into Africa……….. ON MOTORCYCLES!
That’s right – motorcycles! And with this mode of transportation we will be able to reach villages off the beaten path that are seldom visited by outsiders. This is one of the most exciting journeys ever! It will have the same characteristics as our Explore Africa journey – focusing on discipleship and serving in orphanages, helping churches, and coming alongside long-term missionaries. We’ll just have the added Adventure of traveling this rugged African continent on motorcycles.
One of the fundamental values of Global Challenge is living a simple lifestyle, and this will mean for us hardcore traveling in all kinds of weather on bikes, sleeping in tents, and cooking our food on little camp stoves.
Global’s other journeys are yearlong journeys, but in order to balance family life with this exciting new pioneering phase – my trip will only be 3 months long. And I will still have my other responsibilities at Global with training and debrief. This is just another place within Global Challenge that I’m finding to spread my wings and fly!
So………… Here is the crazy part – in the next 70 days I am attempting to raise $7,000 – to buy a used motorcycle capable of making this kind of trip, get the necessary paperwork in place, and gear up for the first journey. The reason I want to try and go now is 3-fold.
Firstly, our Explore Africa team will be in Kenya in June and one of my jobs this year is to facilitate their mid-year debrief, making sure the leaders and mission participants are all doing ok and facilitating any needed crisis management. I’m responsible for my own transportation there of course, and I’m thinking that rather than spend $1200 on airfare, I would rather put that money towards a bike for my new journey.
Second, there will be a SERV mission trip in Lodwar, Kenya also in June, working at their orphanage, House of Hope, and I would love to connect with them and help serve there.
Third, this trip will serve as my “scouting trip” for next year’s journey. (We are planning to launch this new Africa trip on motorcycles in Jan 2013). It will help me establish a budget, navigate the route and see how difficult the border crossings will be.
Lately my heart has been beating like crazy as this is going to fulfill a life-long dream of mine. What an AMAZING privilege for me as I believe I will be writing a legacy that could inspire Emi and even her kids one day, as well as mobilizing young people into missions and leading them through wild Africa.
If you feel moved to make a donation to help me pioneer this trip, please go online to www.servintl.org and donate to Marius Deetlefs with the reference TWO.
Please keep us in your prayers, as Jodi and I trust God to lead us in this exciting new opportunity with Global. We love and appreciate you so much!
Blessings,
Marius & family
