Many thanks from E.T.

So, now that we've all had a few days to relax, recuperate and reflect following our week in Chicago, I wanted to offer some brief comments about how much I enjoyed the trip.

First, and just to mention again for those who may not have already known, I had never before participated in a Mission Trip. And so, during those several weeks prior to our departure, I experienced this increasingly nervous feeling - one that was very reminiscent of what I felt during those final few days before shoving off to camp for the first time (in 1974!) On one hand, I was a little excited about the cool adventure ahead of me. But, on the flip side, I was feeling a bit of anxiety. 

Why was I anxious? Well, there were those nagging questions: Where will we sleep? Will the bathrooms be clean? Will I get along with the participants from other Churches? What will the neighborhood be like? Will we be able to find our way around the city without getting lost? What kind of jobs and responsibilities will I be assigned, and will I be capable of doing them? And then, there were the really important questions like: Will there be a Dunkin' Donuts nearby!? 

So, after all of that pre-trip obsessing, guess what? In a word, I thought that the week together was nothing short of TREMENDOUS! Over these last several days, and as already mentioned to my fellow chaperones, I've had multiple opportunities to think about the things that we learned, the work we performed, the support that we provided and the many wonderful people we met... people like Frank and J.B. at Good News Partners, Reggie and Marvin at Ada Niles, Dan at Reba Place and Irma at First Church. 

As we all saw and experienced first hand, these are some of the finest kind of people who unselfishly give of themselves every single day in order to make a very positive difference in the lives of others. We provided all of them some much needed support, and without a doubt, they were most appreciative. At the same time, each and every one of these folks set an inspiring example... they helped me to understand and fully appreciate how I can be a better friend, a better person, a better Christian. For that, I am extremely grateful.

While I was proud of our ENTIRE group and all that we achieved, I especially enjoyed my association with "Team Chinatown." We logged countless miles on trains/buses/by foot, we performed an array of interesting (and sometimes dreadful!) jobs, we met a lot of fascinating Chicagoans, and very importantly, we got to know one another that much better, and we also managed to have some good laughs too. As I've reflected on all of these things and more, and as I've shared many stories with my family, friends, and work colleagues, I've done nothing but smile. Please know how much I admired each of you for your positive attitude, for working so hard to "make a difference," and for representing our church, our city and our state so proudly. And so, to Bree, Brae, Kyle, Sam, and Nancy, I'd like to say THANK YOU for the very memorable impact that you had on me!

Not to be missed was the FUN that we had, and the terrific memories that we created. While the week produced many standout moments, one of my favorite and most touching was on Thursday night when William said that "we are like a family." I could not agree more. Without question, I will long remember our Chicago experience as one of the "best ever" for me. 

My sincerest thanks to everyone and my very best wishes to all of you for a safe and happy Summer!

E.T