My First Move (among others)

He was funny looking. Funny. Really funny. There were weekly zoom meetings on Saturday mornings for our January mission trip, and he would be just waking up. Somehow, just looking at him made me laugh. I was on zoom with a friend, Anita, who was also going on this trip, and she laughed along, probably because of how silly I looked. 

The meetings themselves weren't too interesting. After all, by the third time, it was the same repertoire, and I knew them. But what I didn't know, or who I didn't know, was this guy who kept yawning in the corner of the screen. With the spontaneous energy that Saturday mornings give, especially when accompanied by a close friend, I sent this man Zoom DMs. And the funny thing is, he replied. 

If you know anything about Zoom, it's easy to DM the wrong person. I did that a couple of times, which made this much funnier. It was all fun and games. MBTI. Yawning. 3rd RC. I ensured it all stayed in the Zoom DMs, where it was light, friendly, not weird, just... funny. No texting one-on-one, at least for now.

***

I was the first to arrive at the airport. As people started arriving one after another, I realized that I should be more careful. While waiting for people to arrive, I looked up the spreadsheet to see who had and hadn't arrived, especially for this guy. We had to split the group into two to go to the mission compound because there wasn't enough space on the bus. I heard from people who were just arriving that he was right behind them, but I didn't stay behind. I wasn't mentally prepared to see him in person yet. How silly of me. For some reason, I just had to get to the compound first. 

Throughout the whole week, I knew we were often around each other. Sometimes, I intentionally went to other people and spent time getting to know them. One part of it was to actually get to know the awesome team better, and the other was to see if John would come up to me if I wasn't around. I think he did. I think it's the reason why I felt comfortable being a little more direct around him. 

***

If I had to choose a time when I think I made direct moves, it might be on the 8-hour bus ride when I switched my seat to the one next to his. Or maybe the night after our worship session when I held his water bottle for him while we walked back to the compound. Or maybe the last night before leaving for the airport, asking him to put a hair pin in my hair. Or maybe asking him to stay with me and do the VBS the entire trip instead of doing the clinic. Or maybe, just the way my eyes seemed to know where he was at any given moment. 

As if we were in a movie, we talked under countless stars, more stars than I have ever seen before. We faced challenges and challenged each other, encouraged one another. Honestly, I think it would be difficult not to fall in love with the versions of ourselves we were in the depths of the Honduran jungle. 

***

The whole week passed by in a blur, and too soon, too quickly, it was over. I was home. We were all sick, some more than others. And I sent the next first text.