I am currently sitting at a restaurant not far from the airport waiting for a team of 34 people to come in. Their flight is delayed, but that's okay because it gives us a little more time to feel prepared for the upcoming week. This is what we do before a trip begins. We get to this side of town early to make sure we are on time for our teams, then we wait. There will surely be many hugs and warm greetings that come as our staff trickle in as well all wearing the blue and orange PPM T-shirts. Then we wait some more.
Once the airline website says the plane has landed, we know we have a certain amount of time before we head to the airport to wait with a crowd of people in anticipation of seeing a sea of blue t-shirts walking toward us. We often use the saying "a watched pot never boils". Then, they finally will arrive.
The bus ride is usually filled with lots of questions, introductions, and small talk on the way to wherever we will be staying or with a lot of sleeping people. As the day and week goes on, we will get to know this group very well--some individuals better than others. We will help them serve well, help them process what they are experiencing, and encourage them to continue serving well after the trip has ended. When it is time to say goodbye, we know we will be sad, but we also know that this is not goodbye forever as we are part of the same family of God.
This is always a familiar process, but each team and each individual we meet is different. The ministry may look different and so will the time spent in fellowship. Be praying for us this week as we serve in Mariani with a group of 34 people and 3 other wonderful PPM staff members. This is not just another week.
No comments:
Post a Comment