I’m here! I’m alive and well, regardless of our no power/no WiFi situation. We have running (cold) water for showers that’s safe to drink, and have been living bunk room style for the past month. Yes Mom, I’ve been wearing my retainer and getting plenty to eat. We’ve been eating a hearty, balanced meal of 2 hard boiled eggs and 2 scoops of oatmeal for breakfast, plus 2 pb&j’s for lunch everyday. Monday-Friday a small group of Swazi ladies come in and teach one of the team’s how to make more traditional food, which we look forward to (it’s actually really REALLY good – Chi Chi has probably been my favorite).
-Ministry
Our ministry is Tuesday-Friday. On Tuesdays we stay back at the compound to help the builders with anything from painting to plumbing to building a prayer garden, then Wednesday-Friday we’re at our CarePoints. CarePoints are essentially a place where kids and students can come to play, eat a free meal, and sometimes sit in on a lesson. Our job is to help with all of the above. Somedays it looks like serving meals to the kids, playing soccer, or sitting the entire day with a 2 year old while they nap (once they’re attached, they’re yours for the day). Some of them are pretty good at speaking English, or at least some parts of it. Others can’t at all, but we try to find someone who can speak English so they can help translate. Unfortunately, the CarePoints only have squatty potties to use, so we bring our own toilet paper and hope our stomachs are okay that day. Ask me sometime about my mixed experience with a squatty…it’s something else for sure. Also ask me about the time a kid at ministry came up to me and started combing my leg hair. Not sure I’ll have the answer as to why, but it’s a good one still.
-Home Life
Our home compound for Swazi is a recent build, and is actually still being built around us as we’ve been living here. There are two bigger rooms that the girls on our squad have been spilt up into, one room for the guys (still being built, so they’ve been tenting), smaller rooms for the leaders (also still being built, so the female leaders stay in the big bunk rooms), and one larger common room with a kitchen. The common room is where we eat, have quiet time every morning, have teachings, play spicy uno, etc. Each bunk room has 3 showers (that work!) and 3 toilets (what also work!) with safe water. We only have cold water, but it’s been nice to be able to avoid bucket showers like at training camp. It’s hard sharing a room with almost 20 other people. Sometimes you don’t have time to shower when you want to because everyone wants to shower when you want to. Sometimes your stuff gets used, sometimes there’s stuff all over the room, sometimes you start to lose your mind, but then honestly, most of the time it’s good. I’ve learned to treasure every minute of quiet/alone time I can get. Also, ‘alone’ time has been vastly different. Most of the time it’s laying on my bunk with headphones in while stuck in a room full of people. I never knew how badly I needed a good selection of music/podcasts in my life until now.
-My Team
You’ll get to meet them soon, I promise. I love the 5 girls I get to do this life with and share all the crazy funny memories we already have. I have another more detailed blog coming where you can get to know a bit more about each and every one of them, which I’ll be posting very soon. Everyone is so different but so so special to me!
-Church
Every Sunday we walk to a local church about 15 minutes away. Services are about 2 1/2 hours long and consist of joyful/soulful songs and a message we typically can’t understand. Usually a couple people from the squad will go up during the service to sing a few of our favorite worship songs for the rest of the church. We dance, clap, and try to sing to their songs as best we can, though the music is so loud thankfully no one can hear us.
It might be awhile before you hear from me/see another blog post. This week we’ve been staying in South Africa (about 5 hours away from where we’re staying at in Swazi) for our debrief. It’s a week we spend at a local hostel in town where we can rest, relax, and reflect on the past month of the Race. We’re in an area that’s much more developed and actually has a lot of pretty cool things to do. Our hostel is super cool, and it’s been great to just chill for a little bit before heading back to ministry for the next 2 months. Here at debrief is the only time I’ll have semi-reliable connections to check in with people/fundraise. I officially have until January 15th to raise the last $4,600 I need in order to stay on the Race, and it’s been interesting trying to do that without being able to talk to people back home.
All in all, its been quite the ride. There’s so much I’ve learned, so many stories I have to tell, so much to share. Since we’re at debrief, get ready for lots of photos and blogs while I have WiFi and can post them, haha. I can’t say thank you enough to everyone who’s brought me to this point. I’ve just lived for a whole month in AFRICA! How crazy is that?! I’ve been on a safari, lived in the Africa bush, seen snakes and scorpions outside my front door, and so much more. I couldn’t have done it without your help. I wouldn’t have the stories and friendships I now have without your help. It’s been incredible so far, I can only imagine what the next 8 months will bring.
Until then (or really, until I find WiFi again…), thank you for coming along on this adventure with me. It’s crazy. It’s Insane. I’m here. What?!
