I am getting ready to go on a mission trip in 9 days. I am excited and nervous and thrilled at the same time. I am headed to Honduras to work at the Lamb Institute, an orphanage and preschool for children without many resources. These kids make the children that we serve at my nonprofit, the Children’s Development Academy in Roswell, GA, look well off and they are not. My 21 year old son, Brady, is going with me, my older sister Nancy is also going and group from my parish, St. David’s Episcopal Church in Roswell, Georgia is going.
Going on a mission trip has been on my bucket list for a good while. When the opportunity came to go, I jumped at it, as did my sister. I would love to say Brady did as well, but he pondered it and then made his own decision to come along. I am probably most excited that he is going with us.
Ironically, I am most worried about returning. I am not worried about the hard work or the poverty that we will witness and share. I am a little worried about the heat and security, but I’m mostly leaving that up to God to handle, as best as this control freak can muster.
However, we have just moved in to our retirement dream home, see below. This was another bucket list activity. Every detail has been carefully planned. It took four hours to pick the exterior paint color which was ultimately chosen to match my husband, Bob’s eyes. While we are away the pool will be finished and the custom furniture could arrive which sounds gross as I write about it in the context of a 3rd world mission trip. So is it any wonder that I have been worried that I will find no joy in my return to rampant materialism?
I am fairly certain that I will be disgusted with my pre-mission priorities when I return from my 3rd world week. Short of bringing home an orphan, which I’m told is impossible in the short term, yes, I asked, I have been certain that I will be tempted to chuck it all, sell everything and donate it to the Lamb Institute. Boy wouldn’t Bob be thrilled by that? No, he would not!
Until I talked to a couple of good friends. They have convinced me to change my mindset going in and adopt a new word. I am going to replace guilt with gratitude. They reminded me that I tend to error on the side of generosity, in general. They pointed out that we will probably use our new home, like we do our lake home, for good. They encouraged me, when I return, to let the week in Honduras be an impetus to step up my gratitude, not my guilt, which serves no purpose. Thank you Katy and Carrie. You Presbyterians are good counselors.
So dear readers, if you are so inclined, would you pray for me that I might keep a heart for gratitude from July 20th through August 1st and let go of useless guilt? This is well into my re-entry? May I not be immune to the poverty that I experience but may guilt and pity not overwhelm me but fuel me to positive growth. May my overwhelming emotion be one of gratitude for the many blessings that God has already bestowed upon my family and may I use them for His greater good. Amen.
The more people praying the better. Please feel free to share this particular blog. I appreciate it so much! Honduras, here we come!