So the day has finally come. Tomorrow (actually 7 hrs.) I’ll be leaving Hendersonville, NC to leave for a weeks adventure in the Dominican Republic. Last year this trip was such an awakening time for me. I’ve been on many mission trips before, but for some reason this trip was very significant for me. It was the first time in a long time that i really felt awake and alive. It was an awakening. A realization that there were many things in my life that I had let go numb. Many things that i had allowed myself to grow cold to.
I read an article the other day that talked about how when astronauts are in space they get this feeling called the “overview effect“. They described it as “being completely engulfed by a profound sense of universal connectedness”. That is really what I remember feeling last year at this time. As I spent time in the DR, I really felt like I was more connected than usual. It was such a beautiful feeling.
I’m very excited to be going again, but this time I’m really hoping for some self-healing. The past two months have been pretty tough and I’m hoping for some revitalization as I hope to be connected again with the world around me and find purpose again in my story. I just hope i don’t try to force feelings.
Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated as I go to try to share faith, hope, and love with the people I come into contact with. I’m going to be reading Half-Life /Die Already by Mark Steele. I really enjoyed his last book, it was funny and challenging. I think that the group that I’ll be traveling with and working with are going to be a great group. I’ll update as often as I have something to share.
Izzy Rodriguez 