Preparing for Take-Off

Hello all!

Christ is risen!

It is an exciting time for me! Thanks to a few last-minute donations, I have been able to completely pay for my flight and trip to San Esteban, Mexico! I reserved my plane tickets today and am already planning and preparing for my time south of the border!

As I get ready to go, there is so much more than finding the right backpack and fitting all my peasant skirts, sunscreen and bug spray into my bags. I find myself more and more nervous about what to say and how to act in this new situation.

My team members and I are already planning what everyone will be teaching and helping with. So far, I know that I'll be helping with the youth program, specifically the crafts and arts activities. I can't wait to interact with the children and have fun with them through that class!

I also get to work with the teens, a bit more challenging group. Since I'm only a few years away from my own teenage years, I'm hoping I can reach out to that group as I get to speak with them about prayer and share my own story with them.

The adult group will be an interesting group for interaction for me, just because I am still so young. I get to share my story with them and listen to their stories. I must say that I cannot wait to hear the stories of the people of these small communities.

The thing I am most excited about, though, is singing. As a member of the choir in my parish here in the US, I expressed interest in learning the songs in Spanish and helping to teach them. It will be a big challenge, though, because I learn everything by ear and there are very little examples of the music in Spanish.

 I also have been delayed in practicing the music because I had surgery on my jaws just this past week. I've been slowly recovering and stretching my jaws back out so that I can sing again. I can already tell a huge difference in how my jaws are going to work as I regain mobility. Previously, even singing through a thirty-minute service was a painful experience. In the future, I'm hoping to be able to sing and speak (and maybe even chew fresh fruit again) without many of the problems that have plagued me over the past few years.

Above all, I've been working to increase my own prayer life, praying for my fellow team members, the people we will meet, the people who have sponsored us, and what I can bring to this trip and this team. Your prayers are appreciated as the countdown to take-off officially begins.

T-30 Days!

Blessings,
Sara D.