Preparation!

The Ecuador 2007 Lighthouse team is composed of 14 students (Amy H., Amy L., Angela, Candice, Connie, Jason, Kevin, Krista, Kristin, Laura, Mark, Ryn, Stephanie, and me) and 3 faculty members (Cathy Harner, social work; Rukshan Fernando, social work; Jody Fernando, TESOL and Spanish) with the Fernando's two kids, Maia and Jehan. During the fall semester (2006), we had weekly meetings together with the other teams (going to Northern Ireland, India, Indonesia, Trinidad, and Ethiopia) on issues of international ministry and short-term missions; then we had time with our own group to bond (through sharing testimonies, friend-raising stories, fears, joys, and prayer requests) and prepare (with committees focused on music, drama, English teaching, and prayer while we're there).
Taylor's World Opportunies Week (WOW) was held in November, with many mission representatives leading workshops and speaking in chapel and displaying their materials in the dining hall and standing around open to talk with us and pray with us. We had an assignment to interview one of them, and I met Nat Saginario from Operation Mobilization (OM), who has been leading short-term mission trips for 40 years. He seems continually sharp, both in the way of keeping on the edge of current knowledge and cultural intelligence, as well as cutting to the heart of spiritual insight. I am always amazed at the un-xpected paths God leads us through to bring us where he wants us. And my journey has barely begun! But some people he has led all around the world already, with no signs of stopping, and I have so much to learn from them. His biggest advice was: PREPARATION.
Prepare spiritually, seeking and soaking in time with God in solitude and in community
Prepare intellectually, finding facts and stories and information to investigate and internalize
Prepare materially, put together and practice dramas and music presentations, teaching tools, testimonies, etc.

Right now my team is still in that stage of preparation. We are currently together at Taylor, with one day left to pack and practice and pray. Pray for us! We may have fears of the unknown, we may have feelings of inadequacy; pray that God's perfect love would cast out our fears and conquer our feelings. Here is a prayer of dedication that we prayed this evening in our meeting:

Jesus said go into all the world.
We will love like Jesus loved.
Into the big cities and small towns
We will love like Jesus loved.
The farms and mountains
We will love like Jesus loved.
The shelters and homes
We will love like Jesus loved.
Jesus said, “Feed the hungry.”
We will love like Jesus loved.
Shelter the homeless
We will love like Jesus loved.
Heal the sick
We will love like Jesus loved.
Visit the imprisoned
We will love like Jesus loved.
And ask for nothing in return.
We will love like Jesus loved.
Expect nothing in return.
We will love like Jesus loved.
Love without expectation.
We will love like Jesus loved.
Love without strings attached.
We will love like Jesus loved.
It won’t be easy.
We will love like Jesus loved.
Some people are hard to love.
We will love like Jesus loved.
It’s hard to help those who won’t help themselves.
We will love like Jesus loved.
He loved for no other reason than to love.
We will love like Jesus loved.
We will do the same.
We will love like Jesus loved.
Amen.