Two days out.

I leave my house at 2:00 a.m. on Thursday. I’m telling myself 1:45, that way I’ll actually leave by 2:05. Welcome to my life.

Here are a few words that describe how I’m feeling about this trip.

Scared.

I know two people out of the 16-person team. Don’t get me wrong, I love making new friends. But it’s much easier to do in the company of old ones.

I also know next to nothing about Liberia and Sierra Leone. I was told not to buy diamonds. Or accept drugs. Easy enough, right? I can’t afford either one.

Thankfully, people there speak English. But communication and connection amount to far more than the words you say.

Stoked.

I love planes. And PDX rocks. PDX at four in the morning… not quite as awesome. But still pretty sweet.

I love photography. It forces you to really see a person or place enough to capture them/it in a compelling way. Some venues, especially foreign ones, allow you to step outside of your normal reality just enough to see the world differently. When you step back into reality, there’s something distinctly… fresh about it. Something fresh about you, too. It’s a sweet feeling.

Most of all, I love people. All kinds of people. In fact, the more kinds of people I meet, the more I love the people I already know. Exposure to new cultures and perspectives sparks my enthusiasm for the goodness I take for granted and the goodness I’ve never experienced.

Humbled.

I don’t deserve to be on this trip. I’m not a qualified photographer or storyteller. I expect to make tons of rookie mistakes. I expect to misrepresent people, their culture and the place they call home. I expect to have stereotypes and assumptions blow up in my face. I expect to say something stupid. Maybe really stupid. Probably more than once.

But here’s the truth. This trip isn’t about me. It’s about a God who created a world full of wildly diverse beauty. A God who’s actively transforming the twisted, disaster-ridden line of history into the most enrapturing redemption story imaginable. A God who’s inspiring people to give their lives for the betterment of others—through accessible education, safe housing for orphans, life-giving church communities and so much more.

I love being a character in this redemption story. Some days more than others, if I’m honest. And I love bumping into other characters along the way. Each one is a window into the creative genius of the Father of everything. Life is a masterpiece, isn’t it?

I guess that’s how I’m feeling.