I am about to return from almost a year away from home, and just like you, a lot has happened in that time. You are probably wondering what happened during my year, what living conditions were like, what ministry was like, how we got around. All valid questions, so I have compiled various things that happened/I’ve done over the past 11-months. I may not be able to answer every one of your questions with complete thoughts (processing takes a long time) or I may I struggle to pick a favorite. Each month and ministry has been my ‘favorite’ to some degree, but I don’t think I could have a favorite out of everything. It’s the same for parents, that you can’t pick your favorite child! So here is my year in review!
Things I did on the race,
El Salvador:
- I climbed to the top of the Santa Ana volcano in El Salvador and watched the bubbling green lava at the rim.
- I jet skied across a crater filled lake, formed thousands of years ago from a volcano.
- We went to one of the best surf beaches in the world. 1st black sand beach and I was burned really really bad.
- I saw my first jumbo-sized rat, then I saw them every single night.
- I learned how to coach basketball in Spanish. We also taught English in the schools.
- We got wifi at Starbucks twice a week, and it cost more than in America.
- I learned how to make pupusas.
- We fill hundreds of plastic bags full of water. We learned the right way to tie a bag.
- We visited the children at the hospital
- We lived behind the safety of a locked church door between 2 rival gangs.
Guatemala:
- I hiked (well rode a small horse) up another volcano, Pacaya in Guatemala. We even roasted marshmallows at the top!
- I ventured on not one but TWO coffee tours. One at a large plantation and the second at a small family run operation. Guatemala ruined all other coffee for me, freshly roasted coffee done the right way is the only way to drink the coffee.
- I paraglided off a mountain in Guatemala, doing flips in the air and gliding high above the houses.
- My Spanish was really tested this month, we had very limited translation at the school we were at. They asked us to paint and I was really scared we were going to paint the wrong walls.
- I learned sometimes the family horse lives in the house. It walked in the front door, through the hallways, and past the bedrooms to get to the stable out back.
- We rode chicken buses to Antigua, getting smashed inside like chickens going to the market!
Honduras:
- In Honduras, we swam in the Caribbean, made a friend and learned to play the drums.
- I held a duck! The family we lived with had pet ducks, and I would chase them every day to hold them.
- A lizard fell from the ceiling making us scream and our host and his grandson to run in thinking we had been hurt.
- Some of our adventures were walking 2 miles to the mall, then back.
- Had a minor passport scare, and thought we had to cross the border to Costa Rica for a day or two. Thankfully or sadly everything was resolved before we had to leave.
Nicaragua:
- We worked on a plantain farm.
- I learned I love Rottweilers, they are just big dogs that want to be loved.
- We were taught how to use machetes, and yet I still managed to throw it while working.
- We rode in the back of a pickup, letting our hair blow in the wind.
- We walked in a funeral procession, honoring a close friend to our host family.
- We prayed with the sick at the hospital.
- We walked 7 laps around the farm property to pray for it just like Jericho.
- Thanksgiving in Nica! American style, the major perks of living with an American family!
Côte d’Ivoire:
- Because we lived out in the bush of Africa, we took adventures to the farm around us.
- My first experience with squatty-potties.
- I learned you MUST check the outhouse before you go in, for bugs, animals, and spiders.
- I celebrated Christmas in Africa. Santa visited our hut, we told the Christmas story and sang carols to the village with the kids.
- Got to call my parents on Christmas day, I only had to walk around the village for an hour, stand on a chair, then finally lean over the fire our food was cooking on and talk for 25 seconds. All the women were laughing!
- I stood outside every night looking up at the stars that covered the black sky.
- I rode motos and learned I love it!
- I went to the ‘hospital’, got a butt shot and sent home.
- Lots of bugs…
Ghana:
- In Ghana we visited the old Cape Coast Castle, that was used for holding slaves before being transported out of the country.
- We walked across rope bridges high in the jungle, working to maintain our balance without holding on.
- Found a coach from Iowa visiting at the same time!
- Found the coach brought a Drake professor with students for J-Term. I saw one of my ED professors in Ghana! What? Small world!
- We visited the same shack where men and boys smoked weed every week telling them about Jesus.
- I played with the momma dog and her two puppies that lived with us.
- Tried sugar cane, I didn’t know you spit it out. It was way better the second time.
- Had African skirts made by our lovely house mom.
- We invited all the village kids over for some Jesus and fun. Everyone showed up and it turned into chaos when we handed out food!
Nepal:
- We took a boat ride across the lake in Pokhara, and hiked to the top of the mountain and see the World Peace Pagoda. It was also our best view of the Annapurna Mountain range, the look-alike mountains of Mt. Everest.
- Dogs.
- Seriously Nepal has the nicest dogs in the whole world!
- Getting to walk to the lake and watch the paragliders, sit with the water buffalo, Jesus and dogs was one of my favorite ways to spend time.
- We went to the dance bars, getting to talk with the girls who worked there.
- Got a tattoo!
India:
- We had saree’s made.
- Our ministry involved playing with the girls and teaching English.
- Visited Mumbai on the western side of India.
- My parents came to Hyderabad! We got to explore the city, visiting various historic sites.
Thailand:
- We saw elephants! We got to feed them, pet them, and give them a bath in the river!!! It was incredible and a day I will never forget.
- Thailand itself was an adventure, with something new right around the corner.
- My ministry for the month was at Hope Home, an orphanage for kids with special needs. It was absolutely incredible, I loved getting to work with the people at the home.
- Street food!!!
- Mango sticky rice and mango smoothies, basically all I ate this month!
- Massages were incredibly cheap and so good!
- It was also another all squad month.
Malaysia:
- We prayed a lot this month, taught English in a school.
- Taylor lead a Zumba session for 1,200 people!
- I learned I LOVE dancing when it’s choreographed.
- Loved our market across the street, that we could buy mangos and bananas every day.
- Blackwood coffee shop took way too much of my money.
- We went to Langkawi, a beautiful island off the western coast of Malaysia.
Indonesia:
- Tried surfing! I think I’ll stay on the basketball court or two legs.
- I pet every beach dog I could find, I think I liked it more than them.
- I found bed bugs in our hostel and was bitten so many times. We moved hostels to find cheaper food.
- Attended Hillsong church in Bali!
- Also went to a house church.
- I love Indonesian food!
- Final debrief, ahhhh the countdown is on until home.
- Saw Incredibles 2 on Bali!
