Feel the Rhythm...Feel The Rhyme...Get on Up, It's Mission Time!

It has been one of those weeks where days blend together, thoughts are all over the place, and the unimportant becomes a little too important. I've been on the road since Monday and each morning as I woke up in hotel rooms all I could think of was how peaceful it is going to be to wake up in Jamaica with the mountains in the background, a cup of delicious coffee in my hand, the sound of the kids at Sophie's Place crying in the background, and a sore body from the hard work we'll be doing. It's funny what can become the definition of peaceful.

When are you most at peace? For me it is when I am at my best. It is when I know I am living the kind of life I am called to live. When I am striving to get closer to God and be the person He means for me to be. In those moments days don't blend together...thoughts aren't all over the place...and the unimportant doesn't even cross my mind. In those moments I can be who I am supposed to be. In those moments I have the ability to be the change I wish to see in the world.

In less than 24 hours I will be in this place again. But why is it only in Jamaica that I feel truly at peace? Leading this trip with Bridget for six years, our teams have heard me preach about how we need to take the lessons we learn in Jamaica back home with us. They have heard me talk about how the feelings we have need to drive us everyday. They have heard me beg them to find the words to describe their experiences in Jamaica because in sharing it they will influence others. The truth is, it isn't easy.

This year I am afraid. I am afraid because I don't know what God is going to reveal to me this week. What does He need me to see? What does He need me to know? At the same time I am so excited for this team. They have worked so hard to raise the money for this trip. They have given of themselves so selflessly for the kids, many of them having never been before so they don't truly know exactly what they have been working for. That's the moment I can't wait for- watching this team arrive in Jamaica. Watching them meet the kids and be unable to contain their smiles. Watching them hold the hands of Daniel, Ramario, and all of the other kids. Watching them find peace. Watching them be who He meant for them to be.

And together we'll figure out the rest. We'll talk about how we process what we experience. We'll talk about how we bring it back with us and use it in our everyday lives. We'll work together to change the world.

Every year I ask the team to leave all of their worries and expectations at home. I ask them to come ready to work and to be open to the experience. I ask them to live simply, give generously, and smile. This year I am going to ask them one more thing- be ready to find peace.

On Tuesday morning I turned on the TV and Cool Runnings, the movie about the Jamaican bobsled team, was on. I smiled and I quickly emailed the team with my own variation of the key line from the movie: Feel the rhythm...feel the rhyme...get on up, it's mission time!

--Michael (6th Year, Team Co-Leader)