Now that we are going, we're starting to get really nervous…and really antsy. There's A LOT to handle. I've got to send in my passport to get my name changed, send our support letters out, fundraise, get the vaccinations, figure out where everything in our apartment is going for a year, how are we dealing with the apartment lease, and among all that finish my finals for summer semester and then complete my last semester at Georgia Tech. It makes me stressed out just typing it all. Did I mention fundraising? Oh yeah. That's a BIG chore in and of itself.
Through all these things we are still really excited about the 11-month trip we are going on, so we thought we'd give you, our support group, some of the things we are expecting and looking forward to on this trip. First of all we are excited about living in a tent or more importantly living out of a backpack for 11-months. I know this doesn't sound exciting to everyone but I can't wait for the simplicity. I will have 7 shirts to choose from when I wake up in the morning, which should make it easier and faster to get ready in the morning, at least in theory. The simplicity factor, I think, is a big expectation for both of us on this trip. We are both really excited our phones are being left. We will still have access to internet about once a week for communicating with those of you at home, but there will not be a constant temptation to play on the i-phone or for that matter turn on a movie.
Going across seas will open our eyes to so many different things. We will meet so many different people who live in a very different culture. We are excited to experience these different cultures–their languages, their currency, and their markets. The other night we were watching a National Graphic episode of Taboo. It was all about tattoos and their different meanings and techniques. One of the countries they showed was Malaysia and all I could think about while we watched it was that next year, I might meet some people with those same tattoos. It's just so cool that we have an opportunity to go into their world and see just a glimpse of another way of life. Its really amazing to think that all over the world people function everyday in completely different ways than what we would call "culturally acceptable" or even in a proper "standard of living". Along with all of the awesome cultures, because we both love all kinds of adventure, we are also really excited about the unique experiences each country has to offer. We both hope for the opportunity to explore the landscape in every country. Ty even says he can't wait to see the rock formations and wished he could bring all his climbing gear. One of the other great things about traveling is the food. We LOVE good food and even better than good food is good food we have never tried before.
The final thing that we are super excited about is the work that we will see God doing all around the world. We are expecting to have the opportunity to preach/teach to other people as well as help them with any needs they might have. We have been told that we may build churches, evangelize, fight human trafficking, care for the homeless, teach English in schools, minister through prayer, preach in the streets, live with gypsies, provide homes to orphans, reach out to prostitutes, and feed the hungry. We are excited to have a unique and obvious way to say that we are answering the great commission to go as Jesus commanded us to go to the nations.
Finally we expect to be different people when we return. We will get a whole new perspective on the world–on how we look at the jobs we will have, our family, our relationships with each other, and the things we buy. We expect to be changed.
Did we mention our passports will be full of stamps? …it's going to be awesome:)
