On this date...

This is me 28 years ago (urgh!?) I am 14, sitting on the steps of a nice hotel in either Manhattan or Hermosa Beach in California. 28 years ago to the day--April 2, 1988.

I could have spent my Spring Break doing stupid things--hanging out at the mall, watching TV, gossiping w/ friends on the phone...But I chose to go to Mexicali, Mexico with my church youth group on a mission trip.

I think there may have been close to 30 or 40 of us on that trip...all grades, all types of kids. I remember that we were not allowed to wear jeans on the plane, as one of the older ladies in our group had strongly encouraged our youth pastor at the time to make sure we were in proper "travel clothes". I had never been on a plane before and I was afraid. We flew Eastern Airlines and they had a smoking section in the back. I got a full breakfast on the plane and thought that it wasn't so bad.

The week itself was so amazing. I think back to that 14 year old girl and am amazed as how flexible I was--to shower in the middle of the day, use a port-o-potty, no outlets for doing my hair, sleeping in a small tent with 2 other people I barely knew, not being able to wear shorts in the 90+ degree weather each day. It was the best trip of my life. It encouraged (and secured) me to continue to go on mission trips during all my high school spring breaks and, I believe, planted the seeds for a lifetime of "service".

There were some really cool experiences: being invited to a little village for dinner and being told that the chicken we were eating had JUST been killed and cooked, paying $1.50 for a little sliver of soap and a washcloth sized "towel" to take a shower, having our tent fall in the middle of the night and making me think that I was dead and in a body bag when I awoke to something cool and green on my body and face...I don't recall too much spiritual growth, as much of my thoughts were directed to the group from Marin County, California staked out beside us (one guy, in particular, with whom I stayed in touch for years and dated and thought I would marry=another story for another time). I remember that right after this picture was taken, one of the female leaders on the trip (Lisa, I think?) told me about myself and how "boy-crazy" I was and how that wasn't the purpose of the trip. That touched a nerve or two...but also gave me a huge dose of humility.

I like thinking back, reflecting, remembering. I look at that 14 years old girl on the steps and remember goofy things--how her breasts were bigger then than mine are now, how she was stood up for the 9th grade formal, how she was failing math (again) and American history (so much so that she had to go to summer school...)

But I also wonder about her heart...and am thankful that in spite of the pressure of a certain friend at the time, she chose to go to the dessert for Spring Break...and something "happened" or "clicked" or was planted that made her commit to 3 more trips. Good for her. I think it ended up leading the way to something beautiful...