Hello, I am currently in Nsoko Africa.
Here is a quick recap of the past two weeks.
I left my house in Illinois headed to Georgia on September 7th.
Fifty racers and I participated in four days of training called launch. As a treasurer, for my team of five, I learned the in and outs of currency exchange, budgeting spreadsheets and writing receipts. Wrapping up training we began our 9 month journey with a bus trip to Washington D.C. From 5am until 6pm my squad bonded on our first long travel day. Tuesday we boarded our first flight to Qatar which lasted thirteen hours. While in the middle east we got the opportunity to go to a market experiencing the culture in the little time we had during our layover. (Photos to come in a later blog) At midnight we boarded our second flight to Africa! We landed in South Africa after eight hours. The final stage of our “travel day” was a 9 hour bus ride to the Anchor Center, the world race base in Nsoko, Swaziland.
Alright, truth be told there are a lot of things that I will need to adjust to over the next few weeks. Below is one simple yet crucial example.
Living with fifty other people means constant noise. People sing in the shower. On buses people laugh louder than you could imagine when you’re trying to sleep. At night people talk in their sleep. It’s wild. As someone who is extroverted but still values those quiet moments in life, I had to adapt quickly in order to make it past the first few days. There is a positive side to all commotion, I just had to find it.
Living with fifty people means there is ALWAYS someone to sit with you and pray over the weight on your shoulders. I am surrounded by a unique group of individuals, all of whom I have yet to learn their stories. Living without technology actually means that we play card games, worship together, and tell each other the most random stories about home.
I would LOVE to update you more but that will not be possible for some time. Please keep my team in your prayers and I will share the glimpses of the Lord that I find here in Africa in the weeks to come.
All my love,
Allison
Mom and Dad yes I am OKAY drinking water and even wearing sunscreen (although Africa has been surprisingly cool)
