Month 7. This is rough. This is our third month in Africa. This is our third month of being paraded around to every corner of creation, being asked to preach on the spot, being asked to give a word of encouragement to everyone we meet. This is our third month of complete chaos.
What is the best thing we can do?
GO ON SPRING BREAK! 🙂
THE Q spring break ’11 was by far my favorite spring break ever. We had a sleepover at Backpackers Hostel on Friday — a night of catching up & relaxing — with a couple games of euchre thrown in as well.
Saturday morning, we woke up early. Tricia and I planned to set up breakfast, but because the World Race consists of trudging or waiting, we had to wait because the door to the common room was locked.
After breakfast, we boarded a bus to Jinja. Because we were as excited as kids on Christmas morning, we sang some BSB, Brit, and Lady Gaga.
When we finally arrived at the NILE RIVER, we trudged barefoot through the squishy mud. I put on a life jacket [that I later found to be faulty] and a helmet. We named our team “Meatball” and snapped a group photo.
We trudged down a slippery slope — that a few of the Q did not survive without a few minor scrapes on the legs — and tumbled into our raft — not the most graceful looking group. I was put in the 2nd row — not realizing that I would have to do a lot of paddle work. Our guide, Paul, had us practice tipping the raft and falling out.
At this point — still not sure what we’re getting into… but I had an adrenaline rush like none other.
We hit rapid after rapid, trying to paddle and hold on for dear life at the same time. On the first semi-big rapid, Paul purposefully flipped our raft and we all went under. I was able to find an air pocket under the raft to rest for a few seconds before I finished swimming to surface. Three of our teammates were rescued and brought back to us via safety kayakers. When we got back into the raft, all I could think of was “Let’s do that again!”
At one point, during the 40ish minute flat-water stretch, we were close enough to our MOG [men-of-God] raft that they pulled me into their raft long enough to say goodbye & push me out into the river. Thanks, men.
Paul, our slave-driving river guide, challenged us to beat the rest of the rafts to lunch. We paddled like crazy to arrive before the other women boats. Lunch was phenomenal… probably the best meal since arriving in Africa + a good halftime before we finished conquering the Nile.
After lunch we headed back down to the river. We survived a few rapids and prepared ourselves for the final one. At this point, Paul had assured us that we would all be thrown from the raft on the final rapid. BRING.IT.ON.
We paddled and paddled until it was right in front of us. At this point, I do not think I even made it to the first hit before I put my paddle under the seat and jumped in — I figured I would be thrown anyway, might as well get the most out of the river. I rode a class 4 rapid with just my body — pretty sure I ingested about half of the Nile River, and loved every moment of it. In fact, when one of the kayakers asked if I need help, I said, “no thanks,” and kept floating.
Cassie caught up to me, and we floated down the Nile together. In that time, we had to do a “Reality Check.” After rafting for a few hours, we are floating down the Nile River without a raft… still in Uganda…still on the World Race. Our lives are pretty great.
Monday. BUNGEE JUMPING DAY!! 20 of THE Q members boarded the same bus we took rafting to go back to Jinja to bungee over the Nile. When we arrived, we all looked at the stand where we would jump. So COOL! I was even more excited to bungee jump than I had been to raft. I decided to go last because I knew everyone else was just as anxious. We took pictures and videos as person after person jumped.
My turn finally came. I was so pumped. I sat in the chair. I danced to the music our guides played. Isaac started putting the padding and rope around my ankles. I asked if I could do a water touch. Jacob said he would try to make it happen, but could not guarantee anything. I was okay with that. I stood up, scooted to the edge, spread my arms and heard, “3.2.1. BUNGEE!” I did my best to hold the “belly flop” pose Jacob instructed me, when I felt the tension in the rope, I tucked my chin, put my arms over my head and PLUNGED into the water – from the waist up. AWESOME! By far, my favorite non-ministry moment of the World Race.
Spring Break ’11 was definitely needed and definitely amazing. I love this life I get to live.
