I'm leaving on a jet plane...

In just a few hours the 11 of us Rostro de Cristo volunteers will depart for our long journey to Duran, Ecuador. Tomorrow is going to be rough to say the least due to the amount of flying we will have to do.

Due to a lack of direct flights from Cleveland to Miami this is our flight plan:

6:30am flight to New York
2 hour lay over
11am flight to Miami
3 hour lay over
6pm flight to Guayaquil
10pm land in Ecuador!!!

So in 24 hours I will be in the country that is to become my new home. How crazy? I know that my experience is not unlike the many Rostro volunteers that have come before me, but what I keep reminding myself is that this next year will be unlike anything that I have ever done. I still cannot wrap my head around the fact that in a matter of hours I am going to start such an important part of my life. I am going with an open heart and mind. I am going with a yearning to learn. I am going with the desire to be challenged. I am going to BE and not to DO. I am going to be broken and ruined for life. I am going to live in the moment. I am going with the mission of living a life centered on FAITH, SIMPLICITY, COMMUNITY, SERVICE and HOSPITALITY (also known as the pillars of the Rostro de Cristo program)

I am going to be transformed.

Last night I was thinking about my favorite Picasso painting the Old Guitarist (pictured above). It's my favorite painting because of its story. When you look closely at the Old Guitarist you see the image of another painting beneath. It is a painting that Picasso began but wasn't happy with, and due to his lack of money and supplies he had to reuse this canvas for another painting. The Old Guitarist is the manifestation of Picasso's emotions the way he wanted them to be represented.

I want to be like The Old Guitarist. I want to be the used canvas that the Ecuadorians see as still good and useful in the sense that they will take me and make something even more beautiful, classic and meaningful. I want to be a better representation of my emotions to those around me. I hope that makes sense because I was so excited when it came to me. But maybe I haven't been able to articulate it properly.

But this is my last post for a while now. We will have a 2 week orientation in Ecuador in which we'll find out our houses and job placements. Then we'll just jump in! I hope to write again as soon as I can. In the mean while, keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we embark!