want to know what it's like being a missionary?

Here's what it's like:
1) on the 2nd leg of the plane ride (Denver to DC) you get stuck sitting ON the airplane for 2 1/2 hours. Then you figure out that it's possible to miss the 3rd leg because the delay

2) you talk to flight attendants and agents to see what they can do and A) they don't know where Ethiopia is (FCOL!) or B) they basically tell you that you're just gonna have to RUN to get the other gate.

3) as things turn out the domestic flight arrived literally 10 gates away from the cross-atlantic flight was going to depart (This has never ever happened to me) - this is totally a God thing...

4) For a 16 hour flight from DC to Ethiopia, you get to sit next to a giant Sudanese man with legs up to your eyeballs, and feel very sorry for him because of the lack of space on the plane.

5) Get off in Ethiopia at 8:30 pm, get in line for an overnight transit visa, stand in line next to a couple very awesome old british chaps (journalists for Al Jazeera English) for THREE hours, while in a line of at least 200 people there was ONE immigration agent interviewing EVERY person for at least 7-10 minutes (the british guys timed it). THEN you go find your luggage on 3 different carousels and finally get to your hotel at 12:30 am.

6) when you meet the orphan kids that you get to spend the next 3 months with you realize that it's all worth it. Love at first sight was mutual...

7) pack everything, cram as much crap as possible into very large suitcases and FORGET 2 of the most important things...the connector thingy that uploads my pictures on to my computer AND my iPod charger! So for now You'll just have to read...

8) Last but not least - you get to the place where you stay, you have the convenience of wireless internet BUT find out that there is no running water.