At the start of 1992, I was working alongside a woman who was temping at my company. During a conversation, I mentioned I was looking for another job. She told me about a bookkeeper job at Lanseria Airport. I contacted them and was invited for an interview with a helicopter company. However, it became clear they would not meet my salary request. So, I decided to withdraw my application. But then they called me back, and that was the turning point.

 

I must admit, the helicopters were a big draw for me. I recalled a memorable trip with my church, where the husband of our host had a microlight plane. After discussing it with him, he arranged for his friend to take me up in his “plane” the next morning. I was completely unprepared for what lay ahead. We climbed into the sky, strapped to a makeshift seat on the pilot's shoulders. I was atop a lawnmower engine with only a glider for steering. It was bitterly cold, yet one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. I had previously dreamed of flying like a bird, and this was the closest I had ever come to that dream. At times, the pilot would turn off the engine. We would glide silently over a pond. Ducks were landing, and antelopes were running through the fields. After that experience, I yearned for my own plane, though I never had the time or money to pursue a pilot’s license.

At the helicopter company, I had many chances to fly in helicopters. God is so gracious and giving. Throughout my life, I have felt God’s heart for me as His child—not in ministry, but in enjoying life itself. God knew my childhood was not always joyful. Yet, He blessed me with many chances to find happiness in adulthood. As I grew up, I dreamed of travelling, and God took me to many countries. I have stayed in many places. They range from a home for poor orphaned children in Tijuana, Mexico, to a bedroom in a famous person's manor home in England. At times, we take ourselves too seriously. We forget to make time for fun. We often expect that everything we ask of God should happen immediately. I remind myself that Jesus only taught and ministered for three years. We need to relax and live in the moment.