Missions Support

About 5 weeks to Haiti...

This past week my preparations have been focused on building my support team. The support team includes people who are praying for me, people providing emotional or physical support in some way, and people supporting me financially. 

Saturday is my garage sale fundraiser. Memos have been put in both the church and school newsletter requesting donations for the sale, or help with the actual selling. I have to say, at first the goal was the end game: have enough stuff to sell to make some good money to go toward my trip expenses. But, there has been a second, very beneficial benefit. More on that in a minute...

Sunday was my first "ask" at church. I created a bulletin board with info about Jacmel, info about Forward Edge (my sending agency), info about what I'll be doing there, and prayer requests. I included some maps and pictures.  I also made a bookmark with a map, my picture and 4 or 5 prayer requests that anyone from my church could keep to help them know how they could pray for me and Haiti in regards to my trip. 

I spoke after both services. I was pretty nervous. I can talk to kids or teenagers without fear, but put me in front of adults and it is an entirely different story. I am not a gifted public speaker. I talk to fast and tend to end sentences in a giggle when I am nervous. It's trademark, but doesn't make for a clear oral presentation. 

I realized, as the time was drawing near for my first chance to speak at church about my trip, that a lot of my nervousness was coming from some really silly assumptions I was making about my audience. I was going into the situation with the mindset that people would be judging me - how I look, whether I sounded intelligent or "dumb", etc. This was unintentional on my part. I didn't really think I thought that (!!), but obviously deep down it was a fear. So I reminded myself: this is my church family. These people are just interested in putting my (fairly new to the church) face with the name and hearing about what I'm doing. They are curious and interested, not judgmental or harsh.

And I spoke. Thankfully, Eric made me a simple powerpoint to go with my talk, so that helped me stay focused. I didn't go much over my allotted "minute talk" time.  I said what I wanted to say.

After the services, I hung out at the back by my poster and answered questions about my trip. I gave out my bookmarks.  I manned my little donation basket. 

And so, like with the garage sale donations, I realized something very cool that doing this - putting myself "out there" in the church community - has brought about.  I am getting a chance to meet or get to know lots of new people at our church! We have been here almost a year, so I recognize a good number of the church members, and I know quite a few names, but matching names to faces is not something I'm great at. And most people I have met briefly or said "hi!" to, but haven't had lengthy conversations with. But now I am finding myself talking with new people and getting to know little things that people are sharing with me about their own lives.  I am enjoying and appreciating that aspect of this adventure more than I would have thought. (I guess that isn't that hard since I didn't really think about it before it happened!) This trip and my info sharing and fundraising have led to conversations and getting to know people in my own backyard.

Just another cool result in this still ongoing adventure!!

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Side note:
Passport application is in processing and should be finished next week.
Appointment with Health Dept Travel Nurse in a week.
All paperwork and documentation turned in to FEI.
Flights to Miami and then on to Haiti have been purchased.
Progress...