Month one has literally come and gone. I feel like just yesterday I was at home packing my bags, and now it’s already time to head to debrief and into month two. This month was hard and challenging for me personally. I tried not to come into this month with any expectations, and I didn’t have any of the normal ones. Through talking with one of my squad leaders though, I discovered I had some expectations that ran deeper than I could have thought. I finally got to the point where I acknowledged them and gave them to God. When they say don’t have any, they are right. They run deeper than you think and ultimately you are let down when things don’t happen or go the way you thought they would. Anyways, this blog is not about the expectations I had, but about the memories month one has held. Without further ado, here they are:
Making friends with Ashleigh, one of our flight attendants on our first flight. We are Facebook friends now, so it’s official
79 hours and 26 minutes travel day
The famous rat that caused much distress, even after the first encounter (check out my first blog if you don’t know the story)
Our first time to hospital ministry, I felt the Spirit tell me a lady really needed prayer. Everyone else was spending time praying over another lady in the room, but I was drawn to this lady. I stared at her for about 10 minutes. Finally our translator came over and I asked a few questions, then felt that I had to sing over her. I sang and prayed, and then our translator started talking to her. Halfway through, I caught on that she was accepting Jesus into her life
Playing Phase10 with a few people on the squad, and then breaking off into a dance party where me invented new dance moves
Going on a “date” into town with my squad leader Kristen. At one point, all these creepy guys came up to us and started following us. We started singing to Jesus at the top of our lungs and eventually they stopped. So grateful Jesus protects us
Sleeping in a tent with Drianna and getting rained on in the middle of the night because we didn’t want to get up and put the rain fly over the tent…we did eventually, but we were already soaked
Going to Clube Nautico with a few squad mates and having the best day ever. We swam in the Indian Ocean, ate amazing chocolate mousse, and interneted it up for like 6 hours.
Riding the chappa back to our house and “battling” with the locals through song. We would all bust out in song, and they would retaliate with a rap they knew
Staying up until midnight with Allie while she got a splinter out of her finger…something she’s never done before
Falling out of my eno hammock backwards and hitting my head on a bench and doing a complete flip in the process (I was not hurt)
Climbing the water tower during a prayer session and getting stuck on the way up. I got stuck on the way up cause there was a missing step and Jason had to coach me up. Then my kapalana (piece of material used as a skirt) got stuck while I was trying to sit down. When it was finally time to come down, I had to throw it to the ground so I could get down without tripping on it (for the record, I did have shorts on under it…praise Jesus)
Having ice-cream and cookies with my team one night during team time…we devoured the whole tub…i might be lactose intolerant
Waking up and praying with a few girls on the squad against spiritual warfare at 3am
Having the men of our squad serve us ladies dinner, give us ice-cream, pray over us, and wash our feet
Traveling back to Maputo on a SLEEPER BUS! Praise the Lamb for the invention…it’s the most amazing thing ever
Yes Month one was hard, but it was also filled with some great memories. I have loved being with my squad all together and forming memories together and bonding even more as a squad. It’s going to be hard to leave, but it’s going to be good to get more time with our teams. Excited to see what month two holds for us. Also stay tuned for a month one photo blog…ahhhhhhh PHOTOS
