7:30 AM-Alarm goes off. Snooze button utilized. Snuggle back into the sleeping bag.
7:30 AM to Slightly after 8ish-Attempt to go back to sleep, but can't quite get there because you have the thought that you have to get up in the back of your mind.
8ish-Steel yourself to pull your body out of the warmth of your sleeping bag and into the 50 degree air, put on jacket, scarf, extra pair of pants, and hat, and sleepily make your way out of your bungalow, and up to the house with the kitchen. Make breakfast: sweetened oatmeal with chopped apples, and a mug of warm tea.
8:30 to 9:30-Morning worship with all three teams. Usually Johnny or Brant plays guitar, sometimes Christopher plays the djembe, or iPod worship.
9:30-Change into your one pair of jeans, put contacts in, brush your teeth, try to brush out the grease in your hair, grab your Bible and journal.
(Travis, Anton, and Johnny looking out at our view)
9:45 to Whenever-Time with the Lord, sitting out on the front step of the bungalow, looking out over the valley, mountains, and river.
10:30ish-Head to ministry at the baby house. Walk up the hill, past the construction site of the new baby house, the kids' kitchen, and over the mounds of dirt. You are greeted by, "Jen! JEN! Come push me [on the swings]!"
10:30 to 12:00-Play with babies and toddlers! Usually consists of pushing them on the swings, doing physical therapy with Brian, reading books, giving lots of hugs and cuddles, putting them down for naps, telling them that Jesus loves them, and lots of rounds of "If You're Happy and You Know It" and "Jesus Loves Me".
12:00 to 12:45-Feed the babies. The toddlers feed themselves, but baby Doris, Cyndi, Brian, and the twins Faith and Hope need to be fed. Spend the entire 45 minutes making sure Faith and Hope don't burst into tears for no reason, that Cyndi actually eats without getting distracted, and that Brian actually chews his food and doesn't fall asleep.
(Katie feeding Brian)
1:00 to 2:00-Lunch back at our house. Usually some kind of sandwiches, chips, and/or carrot sticks.
2:00 to 3:30ish-Rest/free time. Sometimes this means talking to your teammates, sometimes it means taking a nap, sometimes a shower. This is the only time of day that it is warm enough to make yourself take one. If you miss this window, you miss your shower. Or at least a comfortable one.
3:00ish-Head back to the baby house. Push kids on swings, break up arguments over toys, give hugs and cuddles.
5:00 to 5:30ish-Chapel. Racers take turns every day to lead. Usually the kids lead several songs that are mostly in Swazi, once in a while in English, and may or may not contain hand motions that could be embarrassing to do as an adult, but you do them anyway. Short Bible study or memory verse.
5:30 to 6:00-Hang out in the common room to wait for dinner. Racers slowly make their way inside from watching the sunset over the mountains in anticpation of food.
6:00 to 7:00-Dinner. Some kind of delicious dish. You are thankful during every meal that we get to cook our own food this month.
7:30 to 9ish-Team Time in our bungalow. Attempt to keep warm and try not to daydream about being in your warm sleeping bag.
9ish to 11ish-Watch a movie on your computer in bed. You are bundled up with two pairs of pants, two jackets, a scarf, hat, and mittens.
11ish-When the movie is over, turn on your sleep playlist, and go to sleep. What a great day.
