06/09/2026
Day 1 Mission Trip Blog (Monday):
When people say yes to going on a Missions Trip, there are always a million questions and very little idea of what to expect. Even 5 months of meetings, planning, and serving together can never quite capture the whole picture. So as we all rolled out of bed this morning way earlier than we wanted to, we all had different pictures of what we would be walking into, but none of them really expecting to wait in line for over an hour just to check in! But even though we had faced many challenges over the last few months, this wasn’t the last struggle we would see before we hit the ground.
As we boarded the flight from Charlotte to Cancun, we were grateful that we had had no trouble with the connections, all had time to catch a quick bite, and had some downtime to rest. We couldn’t wait to get there! All in all the flight went pretty quickly and quiet, other than some bumpy spots of turbulence. But as they made the announcement that we were beginning to land, the turbulence started getting much more intense, and soon they announced that they weren’t going to be able to land right away, and we began circling the airport. They announced that the landing crew was checking on the safety of a couple of things, so we would be delayed even more…more and more circling. Soon after, the woman in the row in front of us said that Cancun had just had a 4.6 magnitude earthquake, which was why they checking the safety.
Harmless enough, since we weren’t on the ground, but the constant circling had created motion sickness in some of us, and had hyped up anxieties in others. We weren’t sure how long the situation would last, or even if it would effect how things progressed. As the feelings of sickness intensified, I felt compelled to pray…for the safety of those on the ground, for the overwhelming feelings team members were having, and the Spirit would calm all our tummies, despite the internal conflict of not wanting to “bother” others who weren’t a part of our team. While it would have been great to say that it resolved quickly and like a perfect fairy tale, it didn’t. Sure, we eventually landed, but there were shaken nerves and sickness that we would have preferred not to have to deal with.
But finally, we were on the ground, and able to step into what God has for us on this trip. Thankfully, the rest of the evening was mostly uneventful, and we rounded out with our debriefing, to talk through the perspectives of each of our days, beginning the journey into the emotions and thoughts that God has placed on our hearts during that time. With other groups I have been a part of, the first night is often defined by exhaustion and little left in the tank for sharing, thinking, and supporting each other. But this small but mighty group of 13 men and women had every reason to feel the same way. And yet we all shared with words, tears, and tissues, the fears that we had been holding on our hearts, and the expectations that we hold with uncertainty. Each of us has shown up vulnerable, ready, and waiting for what this week will hold!
--Crystal
