Haleakala to El Salvador
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 01:01PM Two summers ago I volunteered to help take a Boy Scout troop on a 50 mile backpacking trek on Maui. We started the adventure at the Haleakala Park Visitor Center and ended it a week later in a small town called Hana on the east coast of the island.
The weeks before the trip, as I prepared, I found that a part of me was psyched for the challenge, eager for the test of my mind, body and spirit. But also, at the same time, I was a scared little wimp. I must admit that the thought of me breaking down put a chill in my heart. Heat exhaustion, falling off a cliff, sprained ankle-- so many things could knock me out for good while on the trail.
So there I was, weeks before the actual adventure with this strange mix of both eagerness and reluctance-- anticipation and dread-- swirling in my gut.
But I survived it. More than that, I loved it! It was 100% a positive experience-- on so many different levels. (But don't ask me to do it again. Please!)
Now, today, it's less than a month before my trip to El Salvador for a chiropractic mission. There in the villages of this small country, our group will set up makeshift clinics and treat as many of the people there as possible.
I got that same feeling that I had in Summer 2005. Exactly the same.
I am so looking forward to serve the people of El Salvador. The opportunity to introduce chiropractic to others of a different nation and culture gets me pumped up. And yet, the thought of food poisoning, parasites in the water, and areas of high criminal activity (who will pay my ransom?) gets me a bit worried.
So like most things in this life that require a firm commitment, I make myself visualize the rewards and benefits (to myself and others) of this challenge with as much clarity as possible, while at the same time force myself to ignore all the fears of the downside. Decide it is right. Then like Nike says, "Just do it."
An exercise of faith.