Sharon v. Pearlington

Monday morning, I'm headed for Pearlington, MS where it looks like I will be running Baptist errands most of the summer as various groups come in from around the country to work on the recovery efforts. There is a tiny camper for me to use, putting me very high up on the comfort scale in Pearlington. I won't have to sleep in a tent or on the floor of a gym. I will even have my own tiny refrigerator in my tiny camper. Life will be good.

This is the part where I'm supposed to say something poignant about how enriching mission experiences are and how I'm thankful for the opportunity to be of service. In all honesty, though, I'm equally repulsed and delighted by the idea.

Only 70 miles down the road will be my pillow-top mattress, hot shower, air conditioning, and cable T.V. It will be awfully hard to stay there, given that I have a terrible aversion to port-a-potties. I'll have to really feel like I'm doing some good.

So far all of my trips to Pearlington have been day trips. Each time, I've been hesitant, thinking I wouldn't be able to do any good. Each time, I've left feeling very good about what I was able to accomplish. I imagine this will be the same, except that at some point I'm going to have to face my fear the less than perfect bathroom facilities.

All of this is just to say that if I'm at the blog very often this summer, it means I've either chickened out or I'm cheating and driving home at night. Distinctly possible either way.

I know there are wonderful people living and working in Pearlington, though, and I'm looking forward to getting to know them. I will try to check in from time to time just to tell their stories. They need telling.

Have a great summer, dear readers. Both of you. And if you can spare a day or two, come meet me at the Pearl-Mart. The bug spray is on me.