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What a Trip!
7 singles share about life-changing travels.
July 04, 2007
Homeland Security
Ever since childhood when I'd sit at my great grandfather's knee listening to stories about his homeland, I dreamed of one day traveling around Ireland. The Irish culture and people, as well as learning about my Irish heritage, have always fascinated me. In 1998, for my high school graduation present, I took a ten-day trip around Ireland with my mom. I felt as if I'd left a piece of my heart in Ireland, and vowed I'd return one day to explore even more on my own.
After starting the planning last year, a few months ago I finally took that trip. It began materializing when I took up Gaelic football, an old Irish sport that's a combination of rugby and soccer. I joined a local women's team and met many wonderful Irish women. When they went back to Ireland after the summer was over, I decided to go visit them. Plans for a four-week trip to Ireland eventually turned into plans for a three-month trip around Europe.
Though I was visiting some friends, I had to travel between those visits on my own. I was scared, but my excitement outweighed my nerves. As I took off from Boston, I looked out the airplane window and cried. I was fulfilling my dream!
I had an incredible time. I saw a sunrisein the Swiss Alps and a sunset in Paris. I ate frog legs and snails. I laughed with people from Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, Mexico, South Africa, and Canada. I sang karaoke in Edinburgh and on a bus in France. I lived out of a suitcase and wore the same pair of jeans for three months. And I met some wonderful people, including an Irish man with whom I fell in love. We'rein touch every day, and he's visitingme in a few weeks.
Being away for three months made me appreciate my home more. I realized how much I really love Boston and how much I missed my family and friends. Since coming home, I've grown closer with my mom. I went to fulfill a dream, to have an adventure, to find out who I am away from my everyday life. And I found so much more than I could ever have dreamed.
-Jennifer
Road Warriors
Since 1995, I've been taking annual road trips with a friend from high school. This year we went to Seattle, rented a car, and then drove around Washington, Oregon, California, and Idaho.Over the past 12 years we've seen almost every state—the only one left is Alaska.
I recently wondered if maybe God has allowed me to stay single all these years so I'd have this chance to see the U.S.I'm not blaming God that I'm still single or saying I couldn't have traveled if I were married, but, with this new idea, I began to see my singleness as a possible gift rather than a cause of lament. These trips have been precious and would have been much harder to arrange if either of us had been married.
What makes this tradition even more special is that I'm moving away from my friend this year and she's started a relationship that possibly could lead to marriage. The timing seems perfect for our life changes. We still hope to visit Alaska next year, but if our plans change, what an adventure these years have been!
-Janet
A Friendly Visit
I just returned from a five-day vacation in Maui. The plan started about eight months ago when I was chatting online with Carol, a woman I met on an internet dating site. I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, and she lives in Pennsylvania.
Carol told me her sister had just moved to Maui and wanted her to visit. We started talking about Hawaii, and after she invited me to meet her and her sister there, I booked a five-day vacation package online. Before we left for Hawaii, we agreed the geographical distance between us would prevent a romantic relationship from developing; we'd go knowing we'd only ever be friends.
I arrived first, rented a nice sports car, and settled into my hotel, located about 20 minutes from where Carol stayed with her sister. We toured the whole island in five days, traveling on every road, pulling into every little community, and taking pictures of the beaches. The trip to the top of a volcano was breathtaking. We even visited a wonderful church. We all had a great time together.
Carol plans to visit me in Canada soon. This trip proved to me that men and women can be just friends as long as Jesus is at the center of their hearts.
-Bernie
Girl Time
I recently returned from my second trip to serve at a girl's home in Guatemala. Forty-eight girls live in the home, most of them sent there because of abuse. I'm amazed to see how the love of Christ has transformed them.
Being single without kids, I treasure the gift of sharing hugs, meals, and encouragement with these girls. I'm a Spanish teacher, so I experience no language barrier. In my recent week there, I helped teach English at their school, helped translate letters from the girls to their sponsors, and volunteered at the medical clinic that serves the girls and the outlying community.
I'm very content in my singleness, but being with these girls who've become like my own daughters, I sometimes feel the pang of childlessness. But then I realize I'm free to build into them—and they into me.
They each made a card to give me as I was leaving. I haven't been strong enough to read them yet, because I know I'll start bawling. But I pray God will give me more opportunities to return. I can't go on a normal vacation anymore; it has to be purposeful.
-Kelleigh
Cruise Ships and Friendships
For the past eight years, I've been blessed to be part of a Christian cruise. A Christian travel agency charters the cruise ship, so the entertainment usually includes Southern Gospel music and a Christian comedian and speakers. I travel with a couple of my close friends, depending on who can go that particular year.
Two years ago, we started a new tradition. Each morning we meet together and have private devotion and prayer time. We read from the Scriptures, share our hearts, and pray for each other. This has become one of the highlights of the trip.
What a blessing to have friends who share a common bond: a relationship with our Heavenly Father. I'm thankful for these special people and the special time we share aboard the cruise.
-Joyann
Amsterdam Adventure
As a single missionary teacher serving in Budapest, Hungary, from 2003 through 2006, I had many opportunities to travel. One of my most adventurous and enriching trips was my week alone in Amsterdam one summer after school let out.
I stayed at a Christian youth hostel in the Jordan suburb and had an incredible time with the Lord. By God's design, Idiscovered on a shelf there a little paperback I'd heard about: God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew. The book actually starts in Amsterdam, so I was able to experience places the book described. I found encouragement in this amazing story of faith.
And I found a day bike tour through the countryside! As a recreational cyclist, I'd always wanted to bike through the Low Lands but never could get anyone to join me.I finally saw what I'd been teaching in geography for years: how the Dutch reclaimed land from the sea, including a bit of land where half our tour group jumped and the other half felt the earth move underfoot!I ate Denmark's famous pankeok and explored a traditional windmill.
In the evenings, I met up with an encouraging outreach group from the UK who stayed in my hostel while they evangelized in city parks during the day. And since my trip occurred during the EuroCup, each night people of all different nationalities gathered in the common room to cheer on their favorite teams.
The last four days, I enjoyed touring by myself, seeing historical sites like Anne Frank's and Corrie ten Boom's hiding places. Being alone was more challenging. However, while on this trip and serving overseas for three years, I realized that I'll be used of God whether single or married. I learned through the good and the challenging times that God does have good plans for me, and I really can trust him.
-Joy
Lake Escape
When I'd finished a long week of work last October, I headed for a lake resort not far from my hometown. Lake Bunyonyi is a famous tourist destination in Uganda, East Africa, even though the hilly terrain that surrounds makes transport to the place difficult. My three-hour journey finally ushered me into the company of five friends with whom I lead a singles Christian fellowship of young workers.
Looking at the water was amazing, even though I was scared to swim. I found inspiration in the sunset and sunrise views by the lake, great chats with friends, the crayfish I was scared at first to eat, and the boat rides. Even the way the road winds down the numerous hills was amazing to see.
It was a wonderful break to be away from service commitments on Sunday morning, and to instead be ministered to by the beautiful sunrise, my dear friends, and the serenity of nature around our nation's deepest lake.
As we drove away that Sunday evening, I kept stretching my neck out of our car to catch the last views of God's amazing creation.
-Abraham
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