Jeff - Day 1

TRAVEL DAY: Oh my gosh, it’s still August 1st.
Yesterday marked the beginning of a new month! August is always a good month in my previous years, it’s kind of the culmination of summer, which includes getting to go back to school and see friends you haven’t seen in a while. This year is different not only from the standpoint of me not going back to school in August, but also because August 1st seemed to be the longest day in the history of humans. Our last meeting in TN before we all met up at the airport was the night before and being my usual, late-packing self I made a midnight WalMart run, which began the month of August and the proverbial “track gun” to the St. John trip ’09. I ran into John there in the parking lot, and was with Kyle, Doug and Brittany. I packed, went to sleep for a couple hours, and made it to the airport at a very groggy 5am just in time for Delta Airlines to prove to me why their prices are just a little less expensive than other airlines. So we found out from our friends at “Doesn’t Ever Leave The Airport” that our flight was significantly delayed due to crew problems and that meant that we would inevitably miss our connection flight to St. Thomas later that afternoon. Not to worry, John has a plan (as usual…). So after some time killing games and plenty of $3 candy bars we arrive in Atlanta for the evening, which ended up to be pretty fun. The group got a chance to mesh together through this situation and we ate some good food that night (to say the LEAST) and are now on the plane, heading to St. Thomas.
So far there has been few to little complaints even though our flights got really messed up and everyone had to compromise their plans, and we’ve all gotten to know each other a little better. I’m very excited to get down to the island and begin to see the kids again and the people within the community. As I had my feet in a hot tub last night at our hotel listening to our dinner plans, I was trying to convince myself that this is probably how Paul spent his time on his mission journeys back in the day, to which my conscience quickly stepped in. Sometimes, attempting to explain this particular trip is difficult to do. People hear “mission trip” and then hear “st. john” and then ask, “where’s st. john” and then automatically only hear the words “virgin islands”. It’s beautiful down there. The landscape is some of the most wonderful I’ve ever seen and the water literally sparkles when you are in it at night. I am having fun with the people I am traveling with, and we will eat extremely well on the nights of this trip. At my most recent job while talking to some friends we were more or less were discussing work ethic. The comment came up that “sometimes I feel like I should be doing way more than I’m actually doing. It’s like I can’t convince myself that if I’m having fun while doing my work that I’m actually getting anything done.” Why do I feel the need to separate anything fun or joyful from following what God wants me to do? It’s as if “A Wonderful Life” approach kicks in and I believe that every time I ring a bell an angel gets its’ wings and I’ve got to ring a huge, spike-laden bell that WILL HURT. Yes, Ecclesiastes speaks on everything ‘fading away like wisps of smoke’ and to not count on the frivolous things, but it also speaks on taking joy in your work. I’d like to think that Paul might have had his feet in the hot tub with me.
There are children and adults in St. John that have come to know Christ over the past 7 years that John and Rene have taken groups from the college ministry down for a week every summer. There are kids this week that will hear the gospel from the first time and servers at restraints that are going through tough times and youth-club workers that need encouragement and a small church that will take joy from the fact that really preppy, white Americans are coming to serve in their community. I’m excited to get to join in those opportunities and share in their joy. I’m excited to hang out with people I don’t know as well on this team and encourage them. I’m excited to swim in the ocean with friends. I’m excited to act like an idiot in front of a bunch of kids. I’m excited to eat out at some fantastic places at night. I’m excited for story. I’m excited for new additions to my life. I’m excited for what’s to come.
Enough sap. A good night is planned for tonight (Sunday) and I’m gonna get ready for landing here in a few. Peaceout.