Welp, I'm in Africa.
It is awesome.
Tyler and I arrived safely to Nairobi, Kenya after our 20 hours of travel, and we were met by our logistics leaders, Lauren and KJ at the airport. Our whole squad came together for our second debrief of the race, and our lovely squad parents flew in to hang out with us and love on us.
Coming back was more overwhelming than I thought it would be. I ended up rooming with some of the girls I have never really talked with. Katie and Alyssa are on the same team, and I expected them to be these quiet girls. I knew what team they were on, and the first night I told them I was praying not to be on their team, because everybody on it was super intimidating. They laughed and said they were nothing like that.
The next night, Tyler and I found out what teams we were on. Tyler and I prayed for our teams, and Tyler ended up being put on the team he was praying for.. I was put on the team that I was praying against.. Alyssa and Katie's team. I cried. For days. I called my parents telling them I wanted to come home, because I was so uncomfortable. I had never had a full conversation with anybody on my whole team, and I hated it.
My mom reminded me that the Sunday before I left, I talked to my church about being uncomfortable, and how I loved it because it makes me rely more on God. Ha. Funny, right?
Abba, you are one funny dude.
As the days went on in Nairobi, I started hanging out little by little with my new team, but still hanging out comfortably with Christina and Katie McNeil.
Then we left. We had a 12 hour bus ride to Moshi, Tanzania. We are staying with Georgia's team, (which is good because I lived with them in Ireland) and our ministry is cray cray.
Sometimes.
Here is our schedule:
Sunday- one person preaches in Sunday School, and then one person preaches in church.
Monday- hut to hut for a few hours, then usually have the rest of the day off.
Tuesday- 7-9 am we go to a school, and somebody preaches.
Then after lunch we go to the market and minister (shop).
Wednesday- hut to hut for a few hours, and then whatever our contact Costa tells us to do.
Thursday is our day off, but we have a prayer session with the church at night.
Friday- hut to hut for a few hours, and then whatever he wants us to do.
Saturday- hut to hut ministry, and whatever he wants us to do.
PS, the girls always have to wear skirts, because that is how Christian women dress.
And, we are working with a pentecostal church. Boom.
Somedays, he has us stay home to clean, because apparently, we are messy people.
We do our own laundry, hand wash, and it usually takes a few hours.
Alyssa and I share a room, and we have become amazingly close. She is hilarious, and she gets me.
Come to find out, my team is awesome. They can still be intimidating at times, but they all push me in different ways.
Our team name is Refining Fire, which is wicked cool.
If you look hard in the background, you can see Mount Kili, which is what we wake up to see every morning!
From the top left is our amazing leader, Ashley. She is hilarious, and she always pushes me. Her and I did hospital ministry together yesterday, and being with her those few hours showed me how much of a woman of God she is.
Next to her is Lauren. Lauren is logistics, and the girl is funny. She has crazy hair, which I wash every few days because it's easier for another person to do, rather than doing it yourself when you take your bucket shower. 🙂 This girl is ridic.
To the right of me is Katie. She is super sweet, and girl can speak life into others. She seems quiet to some people, but she is so fun to be around and always has a contagious laugh.
Next to Katie is Alyssa, my roomie. We literally laugh every night to something stupid. She gets me, and I am lucky to have her on my team.
The man with the glasses is Matt. His dry sense of humor is to die for, and he does an amazing job preaching. He never doubts God, and always listens to his Papa.
Ryan is the last one. Dude can spit fire. He loves the Lion King, and the first sermon I heard him preach, had the Lion King in it. Somehow, he connected it, making all the Tanzanian students get what he was saying. He is wise, and an amazing guy to look up to.
This is my team. Refining Fire.
And we are beyond awesome.
A video tour will be posted sometime, because where we are living is ridic. 🙂
Thanks for the prayers, and thanks for sending me back on the field to live uncomfortably in His presence.
