Wow, I can’t believe I only have 9 days left
until I fly back to the U.S. .
This year has gone by in the blink of an
eye. For my own purposes (processing
this past year) and to share a quick review of what this trip has been for me,
I am going to go post some pictures from each country and talk a bit about what
we did there. Also, sorry this is pretty long, haha.
Hope you enjoy!
Kenya- The month of chapatti, Mr. Tumnus and
street children.
Ministry– We worked with
Deliverance Church in Busia, Kenya, doing door-to-door evangelism, as well as
preaching and sharing testimonies I the church.
Our last week, we started working with street children, feeding them and
hearing their stories. We were also able
to bless the ministry with new windows and doors for a home for future world
racers to stay.
Highlights/New Experiences:
·
Squatty Potty (learning that breathing out
of my mouth was the only option)
·
fitting
three to a small bed
·
eating and making chapatti (a flat, circular
doughy bread)
·
riding “Boda Bodas�- form of transportation
that involved a bike with an extra seat tacked on the back
·
preaching for the first time ever
·
hand washing my clothes
·
taking bucket showers
·
Finding a chicken on the toilet
·
Visiting Lake Victoria
·
Falling in love with our pet goat, Mr.
Tumnus, and then our pastor telling us he was going to slaughter him in our
honor L
·
learning to take toilet paper with me everywhere
I go
·
interacting with and loving street
children-seeing kids as young as seven sniffing glue.
·
Got cheered on by Massai tribesmen while
running
·
“Mzungu, mzungu, how are you, how are you?�
Uganda- The month of babies, crusades and no
electricity.
Ministry- Crusades in local
villages, tons of preaching, songs and testimonies. We worked with Promise Christian Church in
Mbarara, Uganda with Pastor Solomon, his beautiful wife Lilli and their
adorable daughter Sufficient Grace.
Highlights/New Experiences:
·
Showering outside, covered only by a tarp
with holes
·
Going on an “African Safari� (there were no
animals present until the last 5 minutes)
·
Going into villages and leading crusades
·
having people peeping into your house/over
the bushes/at the front door is totally normal.
·
Getting tested for malaria numerous times
because of sickness (luckily I never had it)
·
Getting a huge burn on my leg from a
motorbike muffler L
·
Realizing that power outages happened in
town almost every day
·
Making “cinnamon dulce lattes� with coffee,
vanilla, cinnamon and sugar
·
Fitting six white ladies and 35 African men
into the back of a small pick-up truck for an hour.
·
Riding “Piki, Pikis�, motorcycle
transportation
·
having our contact adamantly try to make us
into “big African women� by forcing us to eat 3-4 serving of
each meal.
·
coming home to find all of my laundry
drying on the lawn/bushes/trees.
·
teaching the electric slide to “Jesus
Freak� to the church congregation is not only regarded as completely normal,
it’s encouraged.
Another new experience in Uganda
Camping at “Adrift Adventures� with my squad and
RAFTING THE NILE!!
Rwanda- The month of hiking and
rejuvenation
Ministry- Hiking
a huge, beautiful mountain to teach English/hold bible studies in a rural
village church.
Highlights/New Experiences:
·
having my feet washed by our contact our
first night in Kigali, Rwanda
·
“I request of you 5 more songs� a typical
demand every night around the dinner table. Then singing “Jingle Bell Rock� and “All
Star� because we literally couldn’t think of any more songs
·
Going to the Genocide Museum
·
Seeing sidewalks and stoplights in Africa
·
Bourbon Café- a legit coffee shop
·
Getting on a card-playing kick with my
teammates.
·
Waking up and being greeted by my team all
talking in British accents
·
Living in a house with 16 other people
The Philippines- The month of luxuries, JAZ
girls and “the dougie�
Ministry- In the Philippines we
worked with Kids International Ministries (KIM for short) and we did everything
under the sun! We were provided
opportunities for us to work in an orphanage, play with babies, do
construction, feed the community, work with street children, disciple young men
and women in the community, lead bible studies etc… . My main ministries were working with the JAZ
girls (a home for young girls who come from poor home environments) and helping
run the girl’s community bible studies.
Highlights/New Experiences:
·
Living with four other teams
·
NEW TEAM —LUNA WARRIORS
·
Making friends with the children living
right outside of our compound
·
Arvin Bean. Beanie Bean. Beanie Baby. Basically just the cutest, most slobbery kid
in the world.
·
24/7 coffee (yes, luxury)
·
Going on social work home visits with Dess,
one of the Filipino social workers
·
Going to Agave- Mexican Restaurant
·
Celebrating Thanksgiving with the most
delicious meal ever! Cooked by the beautiful Cindi Williams (who is going on
the race soon, check out her blog at www.cindiwilliams.theworldrace.org)
·
Having a Thanksgiving Celebration with the
street children- I passed out toothbrushes and brushed teeth J
·
Going to see “Breaking Dawn� at midnight
·
Christmas Café
·
Crazy, awesome all-night squad worship
·
Seeing the Manila skyline from the fourth
floor of a building on the compound
·
Hearing God speak to me in clearer ways
than I have ever experienced before
·
Riding Jeepneys
·
Getting my tattoo!
Thailand-The month of squinty eyes, culture and tamarinds.
Ministry- We were so blessed to work
with Remember Nhu, a home for children who otherwise would have been entered
into the sex trade. We worked on new
land bought for the children, preparing it for bigger homes to be built for
them, and we also played with, cuddled and loved the children at the home.
Highlights/New Experiences:
·
Working on a tamarind and mango orchard
·
Celebrating Christmas and New Years
with the girls
·
Sending off lanterns into the sky for New
Years
·
Being a part of the girl’s Christmas
program for their relatives that live in the hilltribes
·
Riding an elephant!
·
Getting invited to visit a hilltribe by its
chief
·
Baby powder fights
·
Laying cement, mowing the lawn, burning
bush…basically just being super tough women
·
Sleeping in a room with 50 Thai girls
·
Waking up to little Malik taking my hand,
leading me to the bathroom so that she wouldn’t have to go alone
·
Running in the most beautiful scenery I
have ever seen
·
Experiencing an “Autumn of sorts�
·
Meeting Beth and Brian Woods (an amazing
former WR couple who work with Remember Nhu)
·
Going to night markets
·
Seeing a traditional Thai cultural show
·
Eating Kow Soy- the most delicious Northern
Thailand dish there is
·
Morning breakfasts around the fire
·
Thai tea…seriously, try it.
End of Part one!
Read my next blog to learn about my last 6 countries!
