Sri Lanka Bound

So Adrienne and I are headed to Sri Lanka to work at the Grace Care Orphanage.  From the moment we knew it was a possibility, we were on board.  We’ve been preparing for months.  We are bringing supplies and donations.  We have a vague idea of what to expect.  In the beginning, we were going to go with a big group.  Adrienne was going to teach a dance class, and I was going to do some manual labor.  The group got too big, and we didn’t have the right affiliations, so we were offered the option of going at a later date with a smaller group.  No problem we said, we like the idea of a smaller group.  We committed, found out that group is basically just us, and were given the task of developing an English curriculum that we could introduce while there, and sustain over Skype when we come home.  We were excited and went right to work on it!  Adrienne has spent countless hours programming an online flashcard site to meet our needs.  She will train at least the older girls to use it, and I will be doing a million other projects that are not worth explaining at this point.  Mostly, we just want to get to know the girls, and find ways to enrich their lives these two weeks and beyond.  I don’t know what this is going to look like, but I’m certain we get more than we’re going to give.

Now for the reality of it…the travel is brutal.  A short flight to DC, a six hour lay over there, a 14 hour flight to Dubai, a 3 hour lay over there, a 4 hour flight to Columbo, and then a 6-8 hour car ride.  Sounds awful doesn’t it?  We’re sitting in DC now, and so far it’s been smooth sailing.  However, it’s daunting to think how early on we are in the process.  Ugh.

This layover gave me one last opportunity to call my teaching partner Amy though.  She had a cyst removed on her ovaries a few weeks ago.  It was found to be cancerous.  She met with the oncologist today, so I was thankful to have this time to talk with her.  She will have another surgery next week, and the hope and prayer is that they can remove it all and it hasn’t spread.  All signs point to that being the case, so I’m going with it!  We have no reason to be anything but positive, and still, just to have that word associated with someone you love feels bad.  I’ll be sending all my love, prayers, and good energy her way from across the ocean. 

Which reinforces all the cliché sayings you can think of regarding living life to the fullest.  Adrienne and I are so lucky to have this opportunity right now.  We will not take one moment for granted.  Except maybe that 6-8 hour car ride part.  I just can’t find it in me right now to be thankful for that.