Preparation

Prior to leaving for Honduras, the Mission Team met four times for training, equipping ourselves with basic skills and knowledge for our mission trip. We shared personal testimony about our faith journey and our reasons for being on this trip. We learned how to pray together. We learned to trust one another. We learned how to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit. We practiced taking blood pressures. We shucked pills and packaged medicines. We collected and stuffed suitcases. We learned to sing together, even a song or two in Spanish.

What was I prepared for?

I knew intellectually that Honduras was a poor country, with little infrastructure. I imagined that my accomodations would be stark, the bare essentials. I was prepared to go without running water, hot showers, a bed to sleep in. I had my small camp towel, my rolls of Coleman toilet paper, my bug spray, alcohol and wipes, clean underwear, socks, t-shirts... a cap to protect my thinning hair... a "wallet" that could hold my documents, money, and credit card around my neck. No need for my Kroger Card, or my Bagby's loyalty card. I was prepared to "rough it".

I had my lists of medicines that we were bringing... organized by type AND alphabetical... laminated, six copies. I had medicine labels, and instructions, organized in folders, written in Spanish, with English translation.

I had the tickets... the insurance papers... luggage tags... hotel vouchers for the Crystal City Holiday Inn.

I had some 37 years of travel experience, even behind the Iron Curtain, but nothing to compare to this. With a working vocabulary of maybe 200 words in Spanish, only some of which were useful, and few of which were verbs, I was prepared to smile a lot and say little.

I had a Discipleship Small Group, a "Triad" of four (math-challenged?) brothers in Christ, to lean on for support, to count on in prayer. Dave is coming along, and I knew I could find comfort in his sense of humor, kindness, reflection, and newfound devotion. I knew that we could count on John, even while he was travelling with Dona to the wilds of Alaska, to be with us in spirit. So, too, Randy, ever steadfast.

I had the support and prayers of friends, family, parishoners, strangers...

I had my family... Nancy, Sarah and Sam forming the experienced core of our team... Dan "holding the fort" at home... the cats and ferrets won't starve.

I had my medicines, my shots... I was resigned to some form of physical discomfort, some illness, just nothing too bad that Imodium and Advil couldn't help.

What wasn't I prepared for?