I know the handbook says no tobacco, but it is not my fault. I am turning green in this internet cafe as the girl next to me lights one cigarette with the other. I have sat here for almost three hours, so I hope this goes ok.
We arrive in Antigua (beautiful tourist trap, amazing volcano) last night at about 830, dead last again. We though we had until noon on Sunday before the race would begin, but we were roused from our slumber by Samuel beeping his horn and yelling apologetically, “amigos! amigos!”. It was almost 5 am and he had envelopes for us. These envelopes said the race was beginning. We had to start by taking a picture of five of us submerged to our necks in the river and then head to a coffee shop in antigua.
We then met as a team, and I said we needed our personal quiet times, that the race is subject to this. I got dirty looks and then said, “Well, I can´t force you, but I am going to my tent to pray, see you in one hour.” 40 minutes later, I heard Jonathon Hiebert from the A team calling my name. He said they had a ride, did we want to go with them?
I said sure, and 20 minutes later team Nessa was loading the van. Stephanie banged her toe up, and Linnea landed on her butt in the process.
Our driver said he knew a short cut. Normally it would take 7 hours to get to the border crossing, but he could have us there in 4. At one point he said we would be to the border in 5 minutes. 3 hours later we got to the crossing. He knew a short cut to the border, but not to the crossing. For 3 hours we looked at Guatemala, as we drove along the river.
So once again we were dead last, but we had an incredible journey and a lot of fun, and our team is growing in unity. That is what truly matters, even though my competitive streak sometimes wants to remind me of its ugly head.
So we are here, safe and sound, living in a church. I have to go to a meeting now, I hope to blog more later, especially some more on the public drinking as this has been an incredibly fruitful discussion on the blog and through emails. This has also been very emotionally draining, so keep up the prayers and encouragement, we need them both so much.
