Preparing To Serve

What does one do to prepare to serve? In just 6 1/2 weeks, a team of volunteers will leave the comforts of home to travel to Costa Rica. For some travelers, it is the first time to go out of the country or even the state of Indiana. We are much more than tourists. We are coming to learn more about being a servant of Jesus Christ; share love and joy with those around us which includes our team mates, learn about another culture, and return home with a story of how through giving, a gift was received,
In Paul's letter to the Colossians (Chapter 3:12-14) he gives us clues about how to be a disciple, one who serves others. Read this passage and find at least 5 things that would be very helpful as you prepare to serve. We'll talk about these things as we continue to prepare for our time in Costa Rica.

Yes, packing your bags is also an important part of preparing for this mission trip. Keep in mind we are not going on vacation. Oh, we'll have lots of fun but... it will be different than vacation. Traveling with 20 people can be taxing at times. We need to be sure that "patience" is one of the things we have packed. Many times what has been planned gets changed at the last minute. It is best to get a real laid back attitude and just roll with it. So for this week, think about the things for which you have little patience. What can you do to increase your level of tolerance? Try to figure out why you react in the way that you do. As you prepare for your mission trip, work on practing "patience". You'll need it! (Don't forget to be practicing a bit of Spanish in the process.)