forty days

Forty days seems to be a significant number throughout history.

It rained for forty days and forty nights after Noah built his ark. Moses spent 40 days on a mountain talking to God.  Jesus was tempted for forty days in the desert. We are currently in the 40 days before Easter that many observe as the season of Lent. (and there are more.)

Today, forty is the number of days left before I get on a plane and fly home. Yes, I’ve done this a few other times over the last five years. This time is different. It is not the last time (I will be back), but it is the last time as a full-time resident of Liberia. After five wonderful, horrible, fantastic, life changing, stretching, enriching, painful, years… a change is coming.

The quick and easy answer is that I need to spend time logging some hours to keep my nursing license current. But honestly, it is more than that. I’ve felt this transition coming, God has been preparing me for this and even though I don’t know if this is a temporary arrangement or the start of something else completely, I know this is the next step.

It is a little surreal. As I’ve been preparing for this over the last several months, it feels as if life has brought me full circle— In forty days I’ll be moving back into my old house. In forty days I’ll be starting back at the same hospital I used to work at. In forty days I’ll be returning to my church and friends and family (minus a few dear ones I’ve lost over the last few years) that I left behind when I started this journey. In forty days I say goodbye to the kids who have literally changed my life, my world view, my heart. In forty days I’ll be leaving behind friends and family here in Liberia.  And let’s be honest here, in forty days I’ll be walking the halls of Target and sipping a Starbucks.

In forty days everything is going to change. In forty days a lot is going to be the same as I left it, but somehow different… because I’ve been changed and the world has changed.

All this is happening in 40 days. A few weeks ago I realized that I am leaving on Easter, March 31, 2013. I booked the ticket months ago but never realized what day it was. (This is significant… are you ready for this?) When I left the US for Liberia five years ago, it was on Easter morning! Two words-- full circle. One more-- wow!

{I realized after I posted a status on facebook earlier today about ‘forty days to go,’ that, based on some of the comments I received, I have maybe not been as good at explaining to people my plans as I thought I have. If you have questions please feel free to e-mail me- debbie @ orronline [dot] org. I’m not trying to keep anything a secret, and am happy to talk about my plans (as I know them) so far.}