#390. The 13 things you don’t want to hear on a mission trip.

August is almost over and with its exit, we must bid farewell to Mission Trip Month, which has been delightful. I thought as a tribute, it would be fun to create a list of some simple things you don’t want to hear on a mission trip:

1. “Quick, quick, quick, which snakes are the poisonous ones?”

2. “I know, I know, but I’ve always wanted to see what it was like to drive on the other side of the road and I didn’t expect that to happen.”

3. “Do you mind carrying this through customs for me?”

4. “Do you know the Swahili for ‘I dropped my souvenir machete on my foot?’ Because I don’t, and I did.”

5. “I don’t own a tankini.”

6. “It’s so hot here. I mean I know we’re in Africa, in the summer, in the desert, but I didn’t expect it to be this hot.”

7. “It’s so cold here and no I don’t want to wear that mission trip coat. I don’t like the color. “

8. “Does anyone know how to fix a flat tire/put out an engine fire/completely rebuild a 1987 VW Vanagon?”

9. “Has anyone seen my passport?”

10. “I think it would be a cool sign of Christian brotherhood if we all didn’t shave/bath with soap/brush our teeth while we’re here.”

11. “Sure, bug spray is nice, but the jumping spiders just consider that a condiment, so save it. “

12. “This time it is love. No really, this time it is love.”

13. “I think I sprained my ankle.”

Thanks so much for all the awesome ideas you submitted for Mission Trip Month. I think we’re going to have a blast in September with Back to School month.