Wrong Foot

This week has already started off on the wrong foot with my volunteers and there is only one group here so far!

The group here right now have been contacting me on an every other day basis for a while now! Okay, I totally understand that the logistics of this trip are difficult when you deal with plane rides, car rentals, and all that stuff. Now I don't get a whole lot of time to myself here as it is, but the one time I'm in my trailer on the phone with a good friend from home, my work cell rings and it is the group who is here. They need to see me. I told them that it would be a little while. When I got back to the main building to find them. Well, the freak'n phone call was just to give me the check and release forms. Seriously, you had to pull me from my own little quiet time for that?! Okay fine. So I'm writing the receipt for the check (which didn't need my immediate attention) and the group leader walks in and starts complaining and wondering why their group is split up at two different sites. Keep in mind that this group leader has been calling me for 3 weeks telling me they don't want to be split up and each time my answer is the same..."I don't have any control over that. PSL are the ones who break up the numbers they need at each place based on the need of each site." Really that is the best answer I could possibly give. So now they are asking me who they need to talk to so that they aren't separated. I already tried, and I'm going to give the construction managers a heads up! And I really hope that they stay separated.

I just want a group who is flexible!!! Really if you want to make God laugh, then make plans. The number one rule of mission work is to be flexible. I don't understand how a group who comes down roughly every 6 months doesn't get that they are not in control that God is in control, and the best part is these groups are from churches! Is it really that hard to figure out. you don't get to pick what sites you work at, what type of work you do. You are down here to do God's work and to help a community in need. I miss the SC group who was down here and reminded me what it means to be flexible, they were not only flexible for the sites and where they were serving, but for one another. Taking all the time needed, and still praising God for all that they got to experience, and enjoy, and do no matter how tired it made them.

Wow, all this and it is only Sunday, and I've only met one of my three groups...I hope that all these first impressions are wrong, but I'm not holding a whole lot of hope.