My Family Mission Trip Jan 10-Jan 17

I graduated from ASU in December 2007 and before finding work i had planned to return to Hawaii to do a 3 month mission trip that I did for 10 days in summer 2005. My mom, Teresa Norman, setup a mission trip for herself, my dad, Dan Norman, her father, John Greene, and myself. Tommy and Linda Gable spoke at FBC Boone, and right away my mom said we were going.

I was excitied about going there but considered it just a week long graduation present slash mission trip in warm weather away from January in Boone. I was more excited about my return trip to Hawaii planned for February 1st, but was going to make the best of my family time and trip to southern Central America.

The first few days went well, and I was enjoying the trip. The semester of Spanish I took in my last semester got me by, but luckily we had interpreters as well. I feel in love with all four interpreters as well as Tommy and Linda after only 3 days. Each day was becoming more fun, and the kids were growing on me too.

Near weeks end I was not ready to leave, and knew that I would miss everyone there. My parents had already said we would plan to come back next January and I was all for it. On our last day, my parents as well as myself chose a family a piece to adopt and send monthly money for school uniforms and supplies.

We said our goodbyes in a Wednesday night evening service, and let them all know how much we will miss each and everyone of them. When I spoke, my emotions got the best of me, and I was weeping in front of the entire congregation. The youth boys, whom i worked with mostly, came to comfort me while Pastor Jose prayed for me.

I was in tears for a while on our trip from the villages back to the city our hotel was in, and felt a calling to come back in a year or sooner if the funds were right. We flew out the next morning, and I could still feel the tug. During the night flight from Miami to Raleigh, I just looked out the window and
did all I could to hold back the tears. I began brainstorming how I could possibly make it back earlier than a year.



Click here to see our family blog for the Mission Trip or visit any of the other links in the right hand navigation. All 23 links listed under the photo albums are from our trip. If you have any questions feel free to comment here or send me an email at: jimbobnorman@gmail.com.