jakorte's blog

Saturday, March 15, 2008

When you join a mission group, or any focused group, you become aware of an important unspoken commonality. We know we are bound together before we even get to know one another. It does not matter how we received our callings. It only matters that we each answered it at this particular time, and are now a team. We all have a common purpose. We are all on the same journey.

There is always some to-be-expected awkward shyness that occurs when strangers are grouped together. Luckily, there are also those who are less than shy. They excitedly interview other group members, and happily share their own stories. It’s hard not to get deeply and quickly involved when you are faced with someone’s direct enthusiasm about your participation. And, as I suspected, it was going to be harder to remain anonymous in such a small group.

Everywhere we went from restaurants along the way to Franklin UMC in Tennessee, everyone helped everyone else. Everyone lent a hand. No one complained about where they sat or in which vehicle. No one complained about restaurant service, or having to wait for use of the restrooms. No one complained when an extra rest stop was requested. No one complained about which radio station was listened to. No one complained about carrying someone else’s bag, or setting up someone else’s bed. We were all on the same team, answering the same calling, and invested in the cause.

jak