I remember saying goodbye to my family and friends in
the airport. I remember holding back the tears until they were finally gone,
and I was standing in line for security, all alone, for the first day of the
next three-hundred plus to come. I remember thinking, how can I do this
without them?
I remember going for morning runs with
Colleen at training camp. I remember discussing our fears and freak-outs over
all we were seeing and experiencing, and for all that would come as we traveled
across the world. One morning in particular, we were running with our headlamps
before the sun came out. I remember Colleen screaming and jumping towards me as
Brandon ran by us and scared us half to death. I remember
laughing hysterically after we realized what had just happened.
I remember when we first arrived in Thailand. It was late at night and we were in our first country, the
moment we had been preparing for and anticipating for the last five months. I
remember the next morning talking with Haley, wondering how we would ever be
able to get any sleep with so many noisy world racers among us…
Iremember the day before we left for our first
ministry site in Thailand. I remember singing to Haley and Cameron from my iPod as our
contacts came to the door to meet us. I remember feeling foolish…
I remember our first long bus ride to Cambodia. I remember Renee and I being moved from the seats we had so
carefully selected and into a smaller van so our seats could now carry luggage.
I remember a hurting back, a tired body, and feeling like it would never end. I
remember the smell of the ally as we arrived in Phnom Pehn and unloaded the
bus. And I remember sleeping that night on an extra-narrow twin mattress with
Haley, and being surprised the next morning at how well I slept.
I remember my first night of being truly
uncomfortable. It was our first night at the orphanage in Cambodia. I remember waking up to bugs falling on my face through the
mosquito net that surrounded me. In the morning, Pam and I swept a jar-full of
bugs from each of our sleeping areas… and I remember freaking out for the
first time of the trip.
I remember Joseph from Cambodia. I remember him emphatically sticking his thumb out directly
in front of him, simultaneously exclaiming his first English word we
taught him… Sweet! I remember his absolutely adorable smile and
hilarious facial expressions. I remember hugging him and wishing I didn’t have
to say goodbye.
I remember arriving in Manila, overjoyed with where our team would be staying for the
month. I remember feeling my heart break when they told us we would be
switching locations. I remember saying goodbye to Diana, telling her that I
would miss her, and hating that I had to leave. I remember returning to Manila, and feeling overjoyed again when little Aya Papaya
remembered me.
I remember the
bittersweet feelings going to China; excited for the cold weather and the new country, but sad
to leave the Philippines. I remember long train rides in smoky little rooms and holes
in the grounds for bathrooms. I remember losing all feeling in my toes as it
began snowing and we climbed the Great
Wall of China.
