I’m not sure if I have mentioned this on the blog or not, but I am going on a mission trip to Arequipa, Peru on July 16th. I have never been out of the country nor have I been on a mission trip like this before. And to be honest, I am petrified!
When we signed up for the trip several months ago, one of the girls in the group was nervous. Oddly, I was the calm one. Then, it occurred to me that eventually the roles would be reversed. Well, Friends, we have reached that junction. She is calm; I am terrified.
I’m scared for a lot of reasons. First, the bathroom situation. My stomach is quite ridiculous in it’s irritability, so I worry about facilities being nearby. Not only that, but I worry about what those facilities will look like. Now, let me be clear here: I am not a germ-a-phobe. I do not expect clean facilities. But I do hope for a toilet bowl and not a hole in the floor. Grace is not my middle name which I’m sure will lead to an interesting experience. Not to mention my poor thighs. I’m not sure they are up to the task. Perhaps I should add some squats and lunges to my workout routine just in case.
The second thing I worry about is what I will eat. Y’all know I’m a picky eater, but then you add the risk of bacterial infections and parasites, and well…what’s a girl to do? Cheese and peanut butter crackers & cereal bars will most likely be on the menu; or perhaps I’ll end up with a 10-day fast for the Lord. Let’s face it, I can miss a few meals for Jesus.
So, these are my honest and ridiculous fears of traveling abroad. Don’t you wonder if God just rolls his eyes at us sometimes and whispers, “You of little faith! Why do you doubt? (Matthew 14:31)”