Sometimes it's all about giving up

When people first hear about my participation in these mission trips they usually ask if this is a medical mission. So far the answer has always been no. When I'm here I'm not a doctor, I'm usually an unskilled laborer. This year I've actually had some skills that have been of use. Between my work at Ace Hardware during college and my experience remodeling our bathroom in Midwest City I've learned a fair amount of bathroom plumbing.
When we came here the tub in the women's dorm at Iglesia Cristina Ebenezer was rusted out and badly in need of replacement, so I got the call. The faucet seemed in pretty good working order so I tried to leave it in place to save money. After several trips to Lowe's looking for flanges and extentions and handles to fit the old faucet it became clear that it was going to have to come out. Twenty minutes later and it was done. For us to move forward we had to stop holding on the the old.
That is what our faith is about. When we try to add our new life to cherished elements of our old life it just won't fit. We have give up and pull out all of the old bits to really be transformed.