This is my first ever mission trip, that I’ve ever been on with any church that I have been associated with. When I received the email I immediately called and got the details. I went to the team meeting and got even more excited. The really cool God thing about this trip is that I’m not really an outgoing person that can just walk up to a person and strike up a conversation. So I was really nervous, to come on the trip. When we got to the first job site Monday, it was a married couple – they fared ok they only had water come in just below the electrical outlets. I was working in an office and was helping the home owner remove molding, door frames and then had to take two feet of dry wall off all the walls.
We started talking and come to find out we had some things in common, so I was able to talk to him pretty good. And that really helped me get over my nervousness, and then today I opened up even more with my fellow teammates, and this is a really good thing with me. And it’s even to the point already were I will seek out other team members, from other churches and talk with them at mealtime and start conversations with them. Now, I realize a lot of this is Christ working in me and through me to talk with the people I come in contact with and will probably never see again. However, it has really been an uplifting and good experience so far. And this is only the second day! I’m still nervous at times but then excited at the same time, because I can’t wait to see who I’ll meet and possibly witness to. And if there is anyone out there on the fence about going on a mission I say go for it. It’s really been an awesome experience so far, and there is still three days left to work. I have also been able to get to learn things about my fellow church members on the trip. And as soon as I can save up some money and get a passport, I’m going to try and go on an overseas mission trip, and will try to find one that I can go on with my wife. Lastly it has been cool to see how God can take an introvert like me and turn me around to do God’s work in Christ’s name.
That’s all for now, one of the Dirty Dozen signing off,
Eugene Browne,
Your Brother in Christ
Eugene, Congrats on stepping out! It’s lovely to see God at work isn’t it? And I love the moniker “The Dirty Dozen.” Just before he left I was telling Brian that he needed a tag line for the team, and playing on DRT, came up with “Getting DiRTy for God!” among others. Needs refinement, but great job getting DiRTy!