Speaking Out

I have been having a great time reading over THIS blog. I spent a year with THIS organization sending teens overseas for mission trips to spread the gospel. It is an inter-denominational mission organization that hosts events in the US to rally support for missions, send teenagers overseas and hosts year long internships for folks seeking after God. I enjoyed my time there, but I have come to realize some of what went on there was quite 'off'. Some would call it spiritual abuse, I would call it 'misguided'. I had amazing times there, and some very difficult ones as well. I am finally able to put into words what I didn't like about my time there, but with most things, there is a good and bad side.

As I think back I snicker at some of the experiences I had there. I also had some interesting experiences overseas serving with that particular mission organization. Here are a few:

1). I legally gambled for the first time while on a mission trip to Russia in 1998. I had a great time doing it and don't regret it at all!

2). While in Peru in 1997 I was severely sick. I was throwing up and *ahem*, other stuff, for two or three days. I couldn't keep a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g in my body. I thought I was going to die, actually, I was praying to die because I felt so terrible!

3). In Kazakhstan in 1996 we had to use bathrooms that were simply a hole in the floor. Not too bad, except they kept the place 'clean' by using large amounts of ammonia to block the smell of human waste. Yeah, that didn't work. People would leave 'presents' all over the place and miss the hole in the floor. Not so great!

4). We spent many a night at the Tyler Rose Gardens with a wonderful group of friends. To this day I still love rose gardens.

5). I met some of the most wonderful people I have ever met while at TM.

More experiences to come.....