Before I begin here's a quote from Andrew. I asked him to share some memory from the trip. His answer:
"Well, all I know is that it was an awesome experience and I'm so thankful to God that He gave me that opportunity to be involved in it! I also really miss it, strangely. Even the cold showers and the bathrooms. Weird."
Now where to start from... the beginning is always good. This all started at our pastor's graduation party. Mrs. Preston, who had come to the pastor's graduation, was sitting next to Damarise and I telling us about what her summer plans looked like so far. Her and Mr. Preston were going down to Beira to help build a church. They would be there for six weeks and teams from the US would be coming down to help them, but in the last week they wouldn't have any teens there only seven other adults. She asked Damarise and I if we would want to come down and help out since they would be driving back to Nampula after they were done with the church, traveling back wouldn't be a problem. That night we talked about it and decided that it would be a really neat experience and it would be so wonderful to help the Mozambicans out. We asked the Prestons if they minded if we invited the youth group. The answer, you guessed it, no. The plans for going to Beira were coming together. And finally, after a few months of waiting the day was there! We were packed, tired, and ready to go!
The Maddux kids came to our house Friday night to spend the night that way we could leave bright and early. We woke up at 5:30am got ready to go, and drove to the Woodrows.
The LePoidevin kids had gone to the Woodrows house Friday night and they too were up and packing at 5:30ish. When we got to there house we dropped off Andrew who was going to spend the week with Benaiah while Mom and Dad were gone. Then Aunt Julie treated us to some amazing cinnamon rolls, we prayed for safety and we were off, after many of hugs.
About an hour into the trip our (sorry I have no idea what it is called) thing above the tire started peeling off. So Dad and Uncle Mike pulled it off and we hit the road again.
Oh wait, while we were stopped, Damarise couldn't resist taking another road picture.
Traveling was kind of boring cause everyone was so tired, so Sarah and Esther watched a movie on Sarah's iPod.
Ah yes! A glimpse at a road trip in Africa.
This is the second bathroom stop. The first one is at a town about 3 hours out of Nampula. This one is about 6 hours. The first one is a squat pot (ew!). This one is a normal (but nasty) toilet! Ah, sigh of relief!
After that stop, we headed out a lil' ways to a bible school (I think that's what it was) and had lunch.
The younger boys enjoying their lunch.
And everyone from the Stolks car enjoying their lunch.
Back on the road. What our car looked like. It was comfy cozy!
The Stolks car behind ours. They were saying it was getting really boring just seeing the back of our car the whole drive down. Whoops!
Around 3pm we arrived at the Haugs house. They made us feel right at home! Esther Haug took us girls up to her room and we watched Ice Age 2. After that was done some of us went down stairs and watched a Lord of the Rings marathon with some other people who were there.
And some of us played Blokus. A very brainy game! Way to go Jesse on winning!
Dinner time! Mmm spaghetti! We had two tables for the kids. Which was loads of fun (Damarise was at this table too)
And this table. Haha, in the middle of the meal Jonathan Haug was telling a joke, "How to you sell a deaf man a duck?" Answer: "DO YOU WANNA BUY A DUCK?!" He screamed so loud! We were cracking up at our table.
Andrew's plate got piled sky high with spaghetti but he finished it off! Yeah Andrew!
They also have a bush baby there! Aw it was so cute!
Karina got to hold it too.
That night Sarah started throwing up. She went to bed early. Damarise and I went to bed a little after her cause we were so tired!
Everyone else stayed up and played pulsey pulse and mafia.
Here's the guys waiting for the game to start.
And a cute one of Esther and Sylvia.
Let the games begin!
The next morning we took off at around 7am. Poor Sarah had thrown up 4 times in the night and wasn't feeling to good.
We got to the ferry after 2 hours. And waited... and waited... and waited.
Finally we got to go!
Oh yes! Esther face says it all! We were thrilled!
After we crossed the river we came to a very nice gas station. We filled up with gas and went to the bathroom (it was a nice bathroom!) While there, Sarah still wasn't feeling very well and Dad and Mom said that if she wasn't well by the time they were going to leave Beira she would have to go with them, so the youth group made a circle and prayed that she would feel better. We stayed at the gas station for a while after that though cause Sarah started to run a fever so Dad tested her for malaria. Praise the Lord she didn't have it!
A few minutes after the gas station we stopped at the place where we spend the night when we are traveling down south. It's a beautiful forest area!
With flower that shout out God's majesty!
Quaint lil' lanterns.
And nifty signs.
Sarah still wasn't feeling good while we were there though:( Aw, it was not a fun drive for her.
A few hours after that we stopped again at a place (translated into English) named Rainbow. Sarah wasn't feeling good so she needed out to stretch etc. The rest of us decided to get out and explore.
Ooo they had a merry go round! Fun fun!
And see saws!
And swings that were just a lil' small.
It was so sad! They had an alligator in there! That lil' bitty cage! Poor alligator!
We got back on the road and headed for Beira. Where we youth would spend the next week.
Here's a pic of the Stolks car. Elijah traded cars the second day so that he could have more leg room. Thomas joined us.
We got there! Yeah! We stayed on the Australian Bible School's campus, which, by the way, was right next to the city prison! Scary! The first second night we heard gun shots and us girls screamed. Haha. But when they started doing it every night we got used to it ;)
We started the unpacking.
So did the Stolks.
The place before we set up our tents.
The guys put up there tent pretty fast! Wow! Way to go guys!
And we girls stretched after the drive! Aw!
A bunch of the guys put our tent up for us! Thank you guys!
While they were putting up the tents we were still unloading the cars.
Oh and we were helping Gracie shake out her blanket. Haha, that was fun!
The boys in their 5 man tent.
Us girls with our 10 man tent! Yay! Thank you to everyone who helped put it up for us :)
After the tents were set up Mrs. Preston came back with all the adults. (They had gone to the beach) We all ate a lovely dinner of pancakes! Yum!
The girls. (Minus Sarah who was feeling pretty bad.)
After dinner we went around introducing ourselves and saying what we've built or made. We also got to meet all the adults who would be with us for the week. Mr. and Mrs. Preston (we already knew), Mr. Greg and Ms. Karen, Mr. Dana and Ms. Emily, Mr. Jim, Mr. Ed (Mrs. Preston's brother) and Ms. Penny (Mrs. Preston's sister). A wonderful group of wonderful adults ready to begin a wonderful week.
