Prepared . . . or not?

I should have started the countdown days, even weeks, ago but I didn't.

3 days until Zim.

As we got together to pray yesterday one thing in particular hit me that may define this trip - the opportunity to give a voice back to the people of the country. I don't want to tell their stories. I want them to tell their stories, in their voices, with their own emotion and struggle, in their words not mine. That makes me a humble gatherer of stories and tears. A servant that will take a basket full of dreams and nightmares out of one country and attempt to hand the harvest to those willing to listen.

I expect to be surprised by this trip. Surprised by the beauty. Surprised by the hope. Surprised by resilience. I expect to be stretched and to eventually ask myself, "Could I have done this?" and not know the true answer. I expect to be overwhelmed by the heart of God, simply because He is overwhelming in nature. Finally, I expect to be changed somehow. One of the words I got about the trip from some faithful prayers in Hong Kong was that I would "uncover something vital." I hope that is true. I hope I am ready.