How I REALLY got to Europe: A Story of Crazy Faith, Patience, Courage & Trust

So, this is REALLY how I got to Europe.

I want to wrap this travel series up with a bang, but of course, giving glory to GOD, because none of what has happened in the past few months would have materialized if it weren't for Him. So, let's start from the beginning, about a year ago...

But, before that...Here's today's verse;

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

When I fell in love with travelling

Around August 2024, my family and I travelled to Diani, which is located in South Coast, Kwale County. Diani is ranked worldwide as having one of the best white sandy beaches. The beaches are beautiful, the weather is phenomenal, and there are loads of activities to do.

I shared my experience of my trip in the following blog posts, feel free to have a read :).

Adventures in Diani: Vszameitat Homes, Kongo River Bed & Breakfast

Adventures in Diani: Swimming in the Ocean & Sunsets by Kongo River

Adventures in Diani: Glass Bottom Boat Adventures & Snorkeling in Robinson Island

It was during this week-long trip that I realized I fell in love with travelling.

I love;

• The fact that you can't put a price on the value of memories made, whether alone or with loved ones, when you travel. The money and time pass, but you get memories to keep for a lifetime.

• The hustle of packing and the actual travel. It is stressful at times, but I get a rush, especially when things don't go as planned but end up working in the end.

• Stepping out of your normal routine makes life much more interesting.

  
  

  After that trip, I made a promise to myself that, in small and big ways, travel will be part of me.

  

  

  

  

A lightbulb moment quickly dimmed, or was it?

I was having a conversation with my aunt, who lives in the Netherlands, and who we went on the Diani holiday with. And I casually suggested that I'd start saving money to visit her and the rest of my family in the Netherlands. It was like a lightbulb and an exciting moment, and my mind began to think of the amazing experience I could have if everything worked out.

Since that conversation, she began to advise me on what I needed to prepare for the trip, travel documents, and costs.

Now, the part when this 'light bulb' moment was dimmed was when I decided to leave the current job I was working at. It was no longer aligned with the trajectory I wanted my career to take, and unfortunately, the work environment was toxic. It took a toll on me, mentally, emotionally, and even physically. For once in my life, I chose myself, and to this day, it's one of the riskiest yet rewarding decisions I've ever made.

Keep in mind that we're still discussing what this trip would mean, one of the crucial aspects of it being the cost. So, here I am, without a consistent source of income since I wasn't working anymore. I had savings, but I definitely did not have airplane ticket money!

In the end, it all worked out, though, and I'll share how.

Keep reading, okay 😉

The process, the waiting, the anxiety

Travel documents are crucial to ensure that you actually get to travel, so that's the mission I began to work on in preparation for the trip. I started by applying for a passport, which surprisingly took TEN DAYS! Then, I started applying for the Schengen Visa, which was quite a long process.

After completing the visa application, it was a waiting game. It took about two weeks to get my passport back, and I will admit that I was super anxious. You literally have no control over the final decision, and if your visa is rejected, the fee is non-refundable, so that money is gone, forever.

The breakthrough, planning, excitement

Lucky me, my visa was approved! Things began to align as my mum paid for a direct return flight ticket, my dad gave me some euros and dollars for pocket money as he's travelled quite a few times, and I was going to stay with my family abroad, so I didn't have to worry about accommodation, food, or excursion costs.

Planning for the trip was super exciting. The packing, researching on airport travel procedures, and even learning Dutch.

Awe, wonder

When the day finally came, it was such a surreal experience standing under the 'Karibu Kenya' sign at JKIA, then the view in the sky from the plane, landing safely, and immersing myself in my family's life; it was truly awesome.

I hold so many profound memories and experiences from that trip in my heart and mind, and I am grateful that I get to carry them with me for the rest of my life.

All in all, there were so many doubts, ups and downs, anxiety-filled moments when it came to this experience. In many ways, I felt like there were so many bottlenecks that were already there, some kept coming up, and many times I doubted if the trip would materialize.

But, despite everything, it happened, and I truly believe that through God's power and alignment with His will, it materialized and turned out to be way better than I thought it would be.

You know me, I find a lesson in every experience, and from this one, this is what I learned;

1. Learn to shut up about your plans until they materialize

The only people who knew about the trip were my family and two of my closest friends, especially when it was in the early stages. I learned that when you have a dream or a major plan, guarding it is crucial.

When you stay silent or keep your plans within the circle of people you trust, it's a safe incubator to ensure you stay focused in your pursuit. Sharing your plans with everyone and anyone exposes you. Sometimes your ambition and focus can be eroded because others may speak fear and doubt into your plans. Other people may also not be happy for you. They may smile in your face, but are secretly hoping you fail. You definitely don't want to carry that energy as you work on materializing your plans.

2. Faith also needs action and preparation

   Having faith, prayer, and fasting are good things. However, doing them does not place you above principle. The principle(s) here are preparation and hard work. Before this trip, I had to prepare and take action by making the effort to get my travel documents together, researching what was needed, constantly communicating with my family abroad on logistics, budgeting, preparing mentally for the trip, guarding my heart and mind from doubt, plus even the spiritual warfare I needed to fight both internally and externally. It was a lot. However, after everything worked out, I realized that my faith drove me, but it wouldn't have borne as much fruit if I hadn't taken action and prepared.

   
   

3. Some situations become impossible so that God's strength can shine through the most

   When you just quit your job, planning an international trip is probably the last thing you'd ever think of. This, at times, honestly felt like such an impossible situation. From my human perspective, it seemed very difficult and impossible. But the beauty in such situations is that it's a setup for God's strength and power to come through.

   Seeing and experiencing how everything unfolded definitely fueled my faith, encouraged me to take bolder and audacious steps, and hopefully, this post has encouraged you to trust God with the impossible. He's able!

And with that, our travel series has come to an end. And for the grand ending, I will share the verse I shared earlier in this post.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Till the next post,

Miss Kambe.