My daughter’s suitcase smells like Jamaican red clay mixed with sweat,rainwater and salvation. Dirty t-shirts lay intertwined with hand painted canvas, murals of palms and sea.  The beauty of poverty brought home and the lilt of her voice reveals an exchange of the wallflower ticket for a dance with the King.

She’s smitten.

She waxes long of bumpy bus rides, steep hills and carrying concrete blocks. The way the local boy works beside them joyful. Because it’s his house they built.  Of enthusiastic eyes of an evangelist, tender words and hearts draped over altars. Conversations that fill empty trenches.

And with each scoop of dirty clothes into the washer, the fragrance of Jesus permeates perspective. It’s in the experience of getting our hands and feet dirty with the soot of the world that we understand our need to be clean.

He’s twirling her around in laughter on the dance floor now, her dress swaying in His embrace. And the fragrance of Jesus, it smells beautiful on her.

Let them praise his name in dance; strike up the band and make great music! And why? Because God delights in his people, festoons plain folk with salvation garlands! ~Psalm 149:3, MSG

My humble thanks to those of you who gave to my sweet daughter in prayer and deed so she could experience this mission trip to Jamaica.

Ever taken a mission trip? How did it change you?

Linking with Lisa-Jo for Five Minute Friday with the one word prompt: Dance.

And joining Graceful Summer with Michelle today too.

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