And So It Begins

0: Times I changed clothes over that 58 hour time period 

3: Hours spent in traffic driving from the Bangkok airport to the bus stop 

30,000: Red Shirt protesters in the streets of Bangkok (thus causing the aforementioned traffic) 

 86/65: current temperature and percent humidity 

41: World racers on the U Squad making the journey of planes, trains, and automobiles across the world 

In the words of a fellow racer, this has been an amazing and awful adventure thus far. With the combination of goodbyes, jet lag, exhaustion, anticipation, long bus rides, new adventures and reuniting with fellow squad members, my emotions are not really sure what to do. But I can tell you already that it has been worth it. 

We stink, we are tired, have been on all forms of transportation, and even used squatty potties. Somewhere between Friday and Sunday I am sure there was a Saturday, but I am thinking the international date line swallowed it whole. We flew 16 hours from LA to a layover in Hong Kong, landed in Bangkok, loaded up on busses that made me feel as if we were being smuggled across the border, and took a twelve hour bus ride to Phuket, where we loaded up in vans until we finally reached our training site. 

I have not slept much and have eaten even less, and am pretty sure the only way I could smell worse is if I took a bath in pureed garlic. But I can tell you already that it has been worth it. 

When a friend asked me the other day what I was most looking forward to about this trip, it was probably the thousandth time I had heard the question. But for some reason, I finally had a real answer. Not just that I am excited to see the world or experience new cultures. Not that I am finally getting to fulfill the dream of living out of a backpack. Not that I am happy to spend the next 11 months with some really wonderful people on U Squad. All of these are things I have been looking forward to, but not the most. No, what I can truly say I am most looking forward to is being able to wholeheartedly without distraction love on people, speak life into them, and share the gospel in both action and speech. Love the unloved, touch the untouchable, live life in community, and serve well. All of this started on Friday when I headed to LA. It has been a long trip and the anticipation only grew as each hour passed. With each airport floor I sat on and every bus station I wandered around, I knew more and more that the Lord has huge plans for these next 11 months. But the ministry doesn’t start with the first ministry site. It happens with every flight attendant, bus driver, bathroom line, and squad mate. So a challenge for you back home is this: do ministry wherever you are. Live well, love well, serve well. Don’t wait until you are half a world away to start. Game on!

***my photo uploaded is not currently working properly, but I’ll have picture posted asap!