Tag: travel

Random Reflections on Flight to South Africa

On By Nicole Corlew CurtisIn Uncategorized13 Comments

Since I wasn’t able to blog along the way (original flight out Nashville was cancelled and rebooked, making all of my connections tight), below is a compilation of random thoughts and events along the way. By the time you read this, I’ll be in Cape Town.

  • Saying goodbye to my family was the hardest thing that I have done in my adult life.
  • There was a “loud talker” on the Nashville to DC flight. I know waaaay more about that guy than I ever wanted to know. He truly needed to find and cultivate his “inside voice.”
  • Dulles is the worst international airport in which I have traveled. It is so confusing and not user-friendly.
  • Snow was on the ground in DC (hence my flight cancelation in Nashville); it will probably be the last time I see snow in a while. I’m OK with that. 🙂
  • On the transatlantic flight, I had two seats to myself. Yay!
  • I watched “Ice Age” and did some reading, but I slept most of the way to South Africa. I guess I was tired.
  • I’m now in Johannesburg waiting for my flight to Cape Town. I’m burning up. It’s time to shed the winter clothes, but I’ll wait until I get home. I’ll arrive around 11:00 tonight.
  • I met a delightful woman who was in Washington for the inauguration. She lives in Durban and invited me to visit her.
  • I hear children playing and their laughter. Some things are universal and priceless.

It’s great to be back on African soil. I’m blessed to call it home for the next three years.

Who Am I or Rather—Who Will I Be?

On By Nicole Corlew CurtisIn Uncategorized10 Comments

Let’s face it, sometimes Jesus’ teachings are hard. Sometimes I wish he didn’t say some of the things he said. Take Matthew 10:37­­-39 (NRSV), for example: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”

I have always struggled with this passage; it makes me feel uncomfortable. God wants us to love our families, right? I love my family more than any people in the world. And who wants to take up a cross, to face known or unknown persecution? Perhaps it is verse 39 that I find most troubling: Aren’t we supposed to find and embrace life? If we lose our life for Christ, we will find it? What does that mean? Help!

 Over the years, I have come to a deeper understanding of Matthew 10:37-39. At the core, I think Jesus is talking about priorities. Whom do we love more–our families or him? As a matter of fact, it isn’t a tradeoff. The more we love Christ, the more we love our families and others. Everything falls into order.

As I prepare to move to South Africa as a cross-cultural Christian worker, I sometimes wonder if I will lose my identity. Whom will I be eighteen months from now? two years from now? three years from now? Will I even recognize myself?

For the longest time, I thought Matthew 10:39 referred to physical death: If we were persecuted and died for Christ, we would find life. But I don’t think that is the main thing Jesus is talking about. I think he is talking about giving up our life—life as we know it—for his sake, to do what he has called us to do. This new understanding of the scripture gives me hope and encouragement. As I give up my old way of life, I think I will find myself. I think I will be more fully me, the Yolanda Nicole Corlew whom God created me to be. And that makes me excited.

Just  for fun–me over the years:

Baby Nicole
Baby Me
With Dad and Little Sister
way back in the day
Mother's Day 2012
with my beautiful Mom

Wrestling in the Mist

On By Nicole Corlew CurtisIn Uncategorized3 Comments

@ Pringle Bay (SA) with BFF

My first and only international business trip took me to South Africa over the new year of 2006-2007. My best friend Anna got to go with me. It was a magical time. I felt a soul connection with South Africa; it was a feeling like I have never experienced before in my international travels. On the last night of the conference, I remember looking up at the stars and feeling as though I would return someday to South Africa, but I didn’t know when or how.

In the spring after I returned home, I entered into a season of restlessness and spiritual wrestling. I recently broke up with my boyfriend, and I was angry. I was being considered for jury duty for a capital murder case and that process made me question my long-held beliefs about capital punishment and our justice system. I had a lot of questions for God, big questions: Why doesn’t God bring the right man in my life? How could a loving God allow so much injustice in the world? Why are some people born into environments of unimaginable abuse and poverty with no way out, while others are born into loving families and communities? I kept thinking about the poverty I saw in South Africa, the young man in Nashville who was about to be tried for his life. I was frustrated, angry, and having serious doubts of faith. I wanted answers from God. I was miserable, and I was making everyone around me miserable. Looking back, I think this crisis of faith was much worst than I thought at the time; it scares me to think about how close I was to throwing in the towel, to walking away from God.

Thankfully, God is much more persistent in his relationship with us than we are in our relationship with him. God doesn’t give up on us. He used some key people in my life, including my dad, to help me get through the time of wrestling. Like Jacob of old, I believe I emerged stronger in my faith. I never did receive answers to my questions; but with God’s help, I decided to trust God anyway. I am learning to live with the questions.

Funnily enough, once I came to this point in my faith journey, I started to have a sense of being called towards something. I didn’t know what, but I felt as though God was calling me towards something, to do something. It was a time of mistiness, but I felt warm. It was a time of uncertainty, but I felt hopeful. I was no longer scared.

NOTE: This is the first post of a three-part series that recounts my missionary discernment process.

10 Highlights from SA Trip

On By Nicole Corlew CurtisIn Uncategorized4 Comments

1. After two tries during previous trips, I finally made it up Table Mountain. The third time is a charm, and the view was spectacular.

Jen, Ali, Nicole

2. Jen, Ali (our host), and I attended a reception for Proudly Macassar Pottery, a job creation program that empowers young men, teaching them how to make Udu drums and ocarina-like flutes from clay. It was a fun-filled evening in the heart of South Africa’s wine country.

 

Alfred displays his artwork

3. While touring False Bay, I met Alfred, a refugee from Zimbabwe. Like many refugees in South Africa, Alfred depends on his handiwork to make a living.

4. One afternoon, I attended a special prayer time at a local Anglican church. Several parishioners had been praying for me for weeks, and they wanted to meet and pray with me. It was a very special time, and I felt humbled to know that people who I didn’t even know existed were praying for God’s guidance in my life.

team celebration

5. Over the weekend, Jen and I attended a camp for students who recently completed a Scripture Union lifeskill course. In the mountains of beautiful Franschhoek, we bonded with the campers and leaders. All of the students come from disadvantaged backgrounds and live in the Cape Town townships.

 

Estelle and eldest son

6. Sunday afternoon, a new friend invited us to her house for lunch. It was a lunch on par with a Christmas dinner. Estelle and her family truly have the gift of hospitality.

Jen, tour guide, Lu, Vuyo, Nicole

7. It’s always a treat to spend time with my South African “family” in Johannesburg, and this time was no exception. We stayed with Father Xolani and Mathabo Dlwati and were able to spend some time with friends from St. Thomas Anglican Church. Lu, the Dlwatis’s precocious little boy, had Jen and I in stitches with his witty sayings.

8. We spent a delightful afternoon in Soweto, visiting Father Xolani’s mom and meeting several of his family members. Father Xolani is a great friend of my church and is the current rector of St. Monnica’s.

9. It was amazing to experience South Africa with my friend Jen, who offered to travel with me in order to be an extra set of “eyes and ears” during my interviews and meetings. Her moral support and wisdom was invaluable. Plus, we had a great time together. I will forever be thankful for her sacrifice of time and money. I am so grateful for our friendship.

10. After days of meetings and interviews and much prayer, I feel confident about which organization I believe God is calling me to serve. After I meet with my discernment committee and finalize things with the necessary people, I will make an announcement.

Of Wine and a New Friend

On By Nicole Corlew CurtisIn Uncategorized3 Comments

My right side was drenched in red wine, and I hadn’t had anything to drink. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” said the flight attendant as she hustled me to the back of the plane. Thankfully, I was wearing a T-shirt, something to which I wasn’t particularly attached. Jacqueline scrubbed my shirt, gave me a clean shirt to wear, and some frequent flyer miles for the bother.

It was dawn as we descended into Amsterdam. The city looked beautiful in the time between night and day; the lights were glowing, the canals twinkled in the budding light, and red taillights beamed from the motorways. I always giggle when I think of Amsterdam. When I was studying in England, I went to Amsterdam for a weekend. My English friends gave me a hard time; they couldn’t believe I was going to Amsterdam just for the art. Of all the Americans on the trip, my friend and I were probably the only students who went there solely for the Rembrandts, Rubens, and Vermeers.

While I was waiting for my connection in Amsterdam and still reeling over paying seven dollars for a measly pastry and a very small cup of coffee, I struck up a conversation with a gentleman named Garry. He grew up in Zululand but has lived in Texas for thirteen years. He’s an engineer and fixes oil rigs all over the world. Garry was very familiar with The Upper Room, since he was involved with the Walk to Emmaus. We talked for more than an hour about life in South Africa and about faith. We exchanged cards and promised to be in touch. He’s a delightful man with many connections to NGOs in his native country. God is blessing my life with such amazing people before I even hit the ground in Cape Town.

We’re flying over the Italian Alps now, and the scenery is stunning. Snow-capped mountains stretch toward the sky; tiny villages dot the landscape. This is one of the few times I’m grateful to have a window seat.

Airport Wait

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“Please call me as soon as you can,” said the voicemail. Oh, no, I thought. This can’t be good. I called my friend and traveling companion and found out that she isn’t able to fly out today. My poor friend spent last night in the ER with an awful stomach bug. She won’t leave Nashville until Tuesday. Please keep her in your prayers for a speedy recovery.

I’m now at BNA, waiting to board. I’m amazed at how calm everything is on this Sunday after Thanksgiving. Usually, it’s a zoo at the airport on this post-holiday weekend. I also had my first experience with the infamous “naked machine.” I hope my picture isn’t plastered all over the Internet.

I’ll be traveling for the next 24 hours, plus some–Detroit, Amsterdam, Cape Town. It has been sunny and nice in Nashville for the past few days, but today it has turned cold and rainy. It will be nice to have summer again for 10 days.

I’m excited about what waits for me on the other side of the pond. Let the adventure begin–well, after I and my luggage arrive safely

Preparing for Placement Visit

On By Nicole Corlew CurtisIn Uncategorized8 Comments

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” comes to mind when I think of all the preparations I still have to make for my placement visit to Cape Town. (Leave it to Dickens to say it best.) Getting sick last week threw me for a loop and got me behind in everything. I’m still not hundred percent, and I’m trying not to get overwhelmed as I begin to hash out my to-do list.

While I was sick, I started to think about the true purpose of my placement trip. I have been so busy with the preparations that I haven’t had much time to think about the reason why I’m traveling to Cape Town in the first place. Yes, I’m going there to visit four organizations–Scripture Union South Africa, Growing the Church, Anglican Youth South Africa, Anglican Students’ Federation–with which I may work for the long term. But what do these visits really signify? A lot, to tell the truth; and I’m somewhat nervous. My skill sets and personality needs to match their needs and vice versa; my placement needs to be a good fit.

I think my fears go back to the old elementary school fear with which we adults still struggle: Will they like me? Will they want me to be a part of their team? I’m praying for God to help me lay aside these fears and to trust him to lead me to the right organization. In the end, that’s where I want to be; there’s where I can make a difference, give, receive, learn, and grow. God has been guiding each step of my journey to become a cross-cultural Christian worker, and I know God will continue to do so. I just need to listen.