Some Things Just Aren't Cool

Okay, so I'm going to Honduras next August on a mission trip. I will be accompanying kids from our high school youth group as we work with Mision Caribe. This will be my first time going on a mission trip. If anyone would like to help fund the trip, simply click on some of the ads on this website. That's all it takes.
Anyway, when I agreed to this venture, I failed to remember that Honduras is largely jungle. Jungles, in case you aren't aware, are extraordinary places for spiders. And I don't just mean numbers. They get BIG. For those of you who may not know me too well, this presents a monumental problem. I am terrified of spiders. I have had people tell me that the spiders are more afraid of me than I am of them. I can guarantee that isn't true. "Well you're a thousand times bigger, just smush it." Ummm, no. It could jump on me and bite me and kill me. It's at this point that most people just shake their head or laugh or call me a sissy Nancy boy. I don't care. Spiders are abhorrent abominations that serve no good purpose on this earth. You may argue that they eat bugs. So do snakes, birds, bats, and frogs. I would gladly trade a few more of each of those in exchange for getting rid of spiders.
Honduras is home to three of the five deadly species of spiders known to exist. Many of you are probably at least familiar with the brown recluse and the black widow. But the Brazilian Wandering spider, or banana spider, also resides there. This spider has the most potent neurotoxin of any spider in the world. It is also a very aggressive spider and is not afraid to attack creatures much larger than itself (i.e. humans). Besides these three super killers, there are a vast number of other species of spiders that live here. "Oh, most spiders are harmless," you say. Just let me be clear about this, ALL spiders have venom. Therefore all spiders could possibly kill me.  You may say that line of reasoning is irrational.

pho·bi·a   [foh-bee-uh] 

noun

a persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that leads to a compelling desire to avoid it.

Yes, I know that it really doesn't make sense to be afraid of spiders. That doesn't make me any less afraid of them though. I can't help it. They are vile, evil, insidious, little monsters that need to be eradicated and that's all there is to it.

Honduras is also home to four very dangerous snakes as well as scorpions. There is also a lot of gang violence and tourists are frequently robbed. But I really am not worried about any of that. Just the spiders.  

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Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Why don't these bother me?

Why I'm going anyway.