Last Country?!?

Okay y’all buckle up because this is one of the crazier/ craziest travel days yet. Also it’s the last one! That’s actually so insane. I mean if you are counting the one from Guate back to the US we have one more but this is the last country. I’m just really in shock right now. The past seven months have flown by and I haven’t even really noticed. Anyway I’m just yapping but let’s hop and jump into travel day! We started without flights being cancelled on the twenty eight because of riots in Greece that day and everything was shut down. Thankfully though we did have a place to stay and a bed to sleep in. Unfortunately we didn’t have that place the next day so our plan was to pack everything up on the first of March and head to the airport. The only hiccup in this said plan was that we didn’t have any flights booked. So our genius idea was to head to the airport(all thirty four of us and our massive big packs) and camp out in the airport until we found a flight. This plan as you might have guessed failed miserably and we in fact didn’t find a flight that day, we just were chilling in the Athens airport for nine hours on the hard cold floor. Very chill as you can tell. Fortunately for us, the camp we stayed at was very generous and let us come back and stay there for a couple of nights. However while in the Athens airport I had so much fun. There was a Cinnabon which I don’t think I actually had at all so I got a sandwich and a cinnamon roll which was very yummy. I didn’t really do much that day. I just ate a sandwich, wrote my blog for Greece, got a brand new jacket from this random couple and called my parents. We then went back to the camp not knowing how long until we could fly out of Greece. Fortunately for us we got a flight the next night at 8 pm. Also lucky and not lucky for us we got to visit four different stops including NYC! I am very excited for that one because I haven’t stepped foot into the US for seven whole months. But the morning and afternoon of the 2nd I just chilled because I was mostly packed up already. Then we headed back to the airport. We only had to wait an hour to check in thankfully. I do want to say that as time has gone on it has become so much less stressful to check in and just move through the airport without stress. Anyway we got onto our first flight to Cairo, Egypt around 8pm. We then flew for two hours and arrived there promptly nine hours before our next flight. Anyway it wasn’t all bad. I was able to finish my blog, walk around a little and scroll because that’s all there really was to do. The setup of the airport was kinda weird, we couldn’t leave the airport. Not that I would want to at 2 am in the morning. Our flight was at 5 am so I just kinda sat there doing random things until our flight. I also enjoy torturing myself by not sleeping for 40+ hours as well. And it’s not because I want it’s because I physically cannot sleep anywhere else besides a bed. I really should work on that. Anyway at five am we started boarding. And I guess that since we were flying to New York we had to go through security again. No biggy, we usually get through pretty quickly. But shortly after that we got on the plane! This was a twelve hour flight to NYC. I was actually so excited. Anyway I managed to sleep the entire flight and was so proud of myself!! Don’t believe that last sentence that you just read. It’s a lie. A bold face lie, right to your face. I in fact didn’t sleep at all during that flight. Now I rested for the entire flight. I don’t know if that counts for anything but at least I wasn’t trying to stay awake. Now did I know that I wouldn’t fall asleep, absolutely. Did I try anyway? Absolutely. Hey at least I did get to rest. Oh something that I did forget to mention was that I got to have a good talk with Cha Cha in the first airport we were in he even bought me a monster which I did in fact chug before the flight and then heavily regretted it because I had to pee so bad during the entire 2 hour flight to Cairo. Anyway, back to the twelve hour flight. After we landed I was literally over the moon. I hadn’t seen the US for seven months. I do want to say that I was mostly excited for the food but that’s ok. I thought we would get through everything pretty quickly and we did kinda. It was actually kinda stressful. Because, first we had to go through customs, then we had to drag our big packs and put them through transfers so we could have our bags in Guate. Then after that we went on this wild long goose chase through the airport because the guy pushing Emory had no idea what he was doing. At this point I was stressed that I wouldn’t have time to do anything but it turned out alright in the end. We found a TSA line with a shorter wait time and got through pretty quickly and I ended up having an hour which I’m glad I got. Literally everything I looked at looked good and I wanted to buy. However the airport prices in NYC were more extortionate than any other airport I had ever been in. I did buy a large sprite and that was reasonably priced. However the four snacks that I bought equaling up to 24 dollars were not. I want to have a word with whoever is in charge of making prices in the JFK airport. Also to add to my stress of that airport I managed to strain both my shoulder muscles previous to the airport and now could even hold my day pack for a couple minutes without it hurting. But I’m still here. Praise God, a miracle unto itself. Then around one forty I gave myself a mini panic attack when I thought I had lost my passport but never fret it was in my pillow case. Where I usually put it. Then we boarded and took off to Panama City! The flight was about five hours give or take. Also I was by a window seat and I was very happy because I was able to take pictures and look out the window. However, I was sitting next to some strangers and it was kinda weird but I got over it. At this point we were probably near 67 hours of travel and I had slept for about 11 hours of it. I was pretty determined not to sleep just because of the time change but I was getting pretty tired. This is me saying that I didn’t sleep on this fight either. We arrived at Panama City around 8pm and then made it quickly to our other gate because we only had about an hour and a half layover. The airport was very hot but that’s only because the air conditioning was broken or something. So I just kinda sat there at the gates. Anyway around nine, I’m pretty sure we boarded and had a short hour and a half flight to Guate. I again had a window seat! Yeah! But I wanna say that the first half of that flight was really fun, I was sitting next to a bunch of really fun people. I didn’t want to sleep but I think I was so tired that I just fell asleep without realizing it. But the landing was super funny. Just randomly out of nowhere this random guy started playing Hispanic music super loud from the moment we landed until we got to our port. Very memorable. We then got off the plane obviously, got our bags from the round-a-bout or whatever it’s called and went outside to wait for the bus to take us to the base. After about twenty minutes the most extravagant school buses pulled up. We quickly loaded on and settled in because it was about another hour and a half before we would get to the camp. They also gave us pizza, I was so hungry that I just ate it. Then again my body was just so tired I nodded off and on. Then around one we arrived! And even though I was so tired I unpacked and took a shower because I had been traveling for three and a half days. I think the most crazy thing is that on a calendar we had only been traveling for one day but the hour was insane. 77 hours later we arrived at our destination and final country. And that’s it. That wraps up our last travel day, technically speaking. But don’t you fret when we travel back to the US I’ll make another one.

Well, here we are. In our final country! That is so crazy! I still remember being dropped off at training camp and now I’m here in my last country. God has just been so amazing and has brought me through so much, and I’m so grateful to even be here in Guatemala. With that being said, let’s look at what life has looked like this past month for me in Guate.

That first week in Guate was kinda a mess, like every first week in a new country is just because we are figuring everything out. Tuesday the day we arrived there was a rest day. It was weird because we arrived at like one am and I didn’t go to bed until 2 am but we had to be up at 7 the next morning so we didn’t get much rest. However when I did wake up I felt very rejuvenated and not tired at all. Then I proceeded to sunbathe the entire day because I felt very sun deprived. I felt amazing afterwards, my very red and sunburned skin did not. However, there was a group of dads there that gave me some aloe lotion and I was very grateful to him because it helped a lot. Wednesday, we didn’t have anything and had another rest day. The next day was Thursday, so activation. Unfortunately for me, my body decided to hate me that day so I was in bed all day with a fever of 103 and a pounding headache. It was not a nice experience. Luckily for me my body only decided to not like me for that day. Friday we went to Junior’s church and helped with a feeding program for kids in the morning. And that was from 6-9 am and that’s all we did for that day. Saturday we were able to go watch a soccer game for three hours and cheer on a soccer team and that was a lot of fun. Sunday and Monday were/are our rest and sabbath days. Then Tuesday came! And I bet you’re wondering what’s on Tuesday. Tuesday was the day that I finally got to see my parents in person after seven months!! I do want to say that this day took the top ten days in my life. So it was pretty up there. This is the week I had been looking forward to the entire race. They were there from Tuesday to Sunday. It was so amazing because I was able to do ministry with them on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and have an amazing adventure day with them on Saturday. They also brought some items from the US that made me very happy, including my all time favorite gummy bears. But the sad day did come, unfortunately too quickly where my parents had to leave. It wasn’t easy for me to say goodbye, but I had to remind myself that I wouldn’t be too much longer until I could see them again. We packed up from our hostel because we were headed up to Lake Atitlan for our Europe debrief. That week hit me like a sack of bricks. Overall it was like our other two debriefs with teachings everyday, worship, hanging out with friends and one on ones. And then even Wednesday was so much fun because we went cliff jumping and hung out all day in a town across the lake. Then Thursday came and with it news none of us were ever expecting. The rest of the week was awful and I was crying everyday. Then the end of the week came and we packed up on Sunday and headed back to the base to actually start ministry. Monday was a rest day for our team because our ministry days are Tuesday- Saturday. We were very excited to start working with our actual ministry. Tuesday we went to Sumpango where the Reigdom base was and we were met with a very delicious meal and drink. Then around 1030 we headed to Santa Marta where the school for the children was. We helped make the kids lunch and cleaned and set up the classrooms. The kids arrived at 1 pm for lunch. Then at two we are split into four groups. One group to wash dishes, and one group for each age group for the kids. Then from two to four the kids have varying classes from Bible to English to sports to literature. Wednesday we have something called the King’s Table where Reigndom partners with another ministry and from 9-1130 they serve lunch to people we invite off the streets. This ministry is in Sumpango. Then after we chill at the Reigndom base for two hours before it is time to head to Santa Marta for a Bible study from 3-4. This Bible study is for kids and it’s giving VBS with songs with motions, games, and a short teaching. Thursday is activation so during this time there is worship, a teaching, and then in the afternoon we have the chance to go out and practice what was just taught. Friday is the exact same as Tuesday but one thing I forgot to mention is we have a prayer room in the mornings on Tuesday and Friday for an hour to pray and worship. Saturday ministry changes all the time. Sometimes there is ministry and sometimes there isn’t. This Saturday our ministry was canceled so we decided to serve the squad by cleaning their rooms and making their beds. And then on Sunday and Monday we of course rested. And with that this wraps up my first month in Guate!

Something God has been teaching me about is kindness. Kindness is showing love and compassion through your actions, words, and attitudes towards others. It’s more than just being “nice”; it’s about actively looking for ways to bless others and reflect God’s love in everyday situations. It is important because God shows us kindness through His mercy + grace. We are called to reflect this. It helps us connect with others, promote peace and strengthen relationships. Small acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life. Some verses to back this up are Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:12, Proverbs 11:17, Titus 3:4-5, Galatians 6:10 and Proverbs 16:24. Kindness is a fruit of the spirit because it’s part of God’s nature. As we grow in our relationship with Him, the Holy Spirit works in us to help us show kindness, even when it’s difficult or inconvenient. It’s a reflection of God’s loving kindness towards us and through it, we extend His love to others.

Something that I would love prayer for is some of my teammates. Some of my teammates are still fundraising for the trip. If you could pray that they find donors to help them finish fundraising so they don’t have to be stressed about it.

Airport time!
Making pancakes for the kiddos🥞