Tick... Tock... The countdown has begun!!

My hopes and dreams for this mission trip.... Well, the dream part has happened, I am going on my first mission trip. My hopes.... I hope I can be God's hands and feet for the week. I love to serve. But, I have never been out of the country so I am a little nervous. I want to touch people. I want them to know they are loved. I want to make some connections. I want there to be people who will always remember me because I had the opportunity to touch them is some way. I want God to bless me with the right things to say so I will make a difference. I want to work with my hands building this family their new home. Can you image the fulfillment of handing them their key?? I think of the memories that will be made in that home. I want to be humbled. I want to put a smile on a child's face. Words are so powerful. You can say something and never know what an impact that had on someone. When I was young I hated my smile. I always covered it up with my hand. A group of us friends were sitting around and a young man pulled my hand down. He said I had a pretty smile. He never knew the impact his words had on me. I never covered it up again. That's what I want. I want my words to bring joy, pride, respect and so much more to the people we will be serving. I am afraid. Afraid to see poverty I never seen before. Afraid to be emotional. Afraid to make those connections and then have to leave.... But no matter what, we are doing God's work. We are his hands and feet. We WILL make a difference! I want to be remembered. Not because I think I'm special. Not because I think I'm all that. But because I did make a difference in someone's life. And, I'm also very excited to spend time with our group. We have such a great team. I have been blessed. This is something I would watch Joyce do on TV and I'd always think, kinda sad because it's something I'd never be able to do... And thanks to Elevate, my family, my church family and my friends, I am doing it!! I have been praying so long for our journey. And, I am calm. And I am not a calm person :-) But I think God has sent the Holy Spirit to me especially for this journey. I want the people we will be working with to know they are loved. Not forgotten. And that God loves them too. I am nervous bc I can't quote scripture. The bible is new to me. The church is new to me. But I do know about love, compassion, faith and respect. John is probably wishing right now he hadn't mentioned us posting our hopes and dreams for this mission bc I type like I talk, a lot :-) Lol. May God be with us all!!