Within Reach

One week from today, I will be in Miami, preparing to be a "Leader-In-Training."

One month from today, I will be back in Minnesota after a life-changing 3 1/2 weeks.

I think I've had the most "time" to prepare for this trip, compared to my last few international trips. Last year, I had to focus on getting through the spring semester before I could really think about my summer trips. Once school was done, I had a few days to prepare for a 2 week trip to Scotland. It was only after I got home from Scotland that I could really think about Ecuador. And once I recovered from the jet-lag, I was left with under a week to prepare for 2 months in a different country. Even after returning from Ecuador, I only had a short time at home before moving into the house I am currently renting with my dear friends.

I have been thinking about this trip for almost a year. It was during Susie Mag's Guatemala trip last summer (while I was in Ecuador) that I found out they would be going to Ecuador. But it wasn't until December that I started seriously thinking about the trip.

And I've been counting down ever since I sent in my application.

And now the trip is less than a week away.

About two weeks ago, the reality of the trip hit me. It's the longest "short" trip I've been on. It's 3 1/2 weeks, or 24 days. Too long to bring enough clothes for the entire trip, and not long enough to ever really get settled in one place. It will be a long trip. I'm definitely looking forward to it. But God will need to sustain me. He's given me the last several weeks to recover from a semester with less sleep than I really need. But 3 1/2 weeks straight with a crazy bunch of teens and wanting to spend time with everyone and get to know them in the short time we have together will be taxing on me. I'm an introvert. I need my time alone. And it's on trips like this that I have a difficult time pulling away to take time for myself and time to spend with God when there's always something going on. Prayer for wisdom on when to pass on activities would definitely be welcome.

As far as not being able to pack enough clothes...I always over pack. I don't know if I've ever flown somewhere and not had my suitcase be just barely under 50 lbs. And I'm sure this trip will be no different. The only problem is that I don't currently own a working scale. I may need to invest in one before Saturday morning. I have a stack of clothes sitting in my suitcase right now, along with the peanut butter and jelly and other items I need to bring. I still need to go through that stack of clothes and cut it down to the minimum. And bring laundry detergent along. I'll be doing my laundry in the bathtub of my hotel room. Or maybe I'll call up one of my friends in Quito and ask if I can bring my laundry to their house. However that ends up, there's no way I can fit 3 weeks worth of clothes in ONE 50 lb suitcase...