Saying goodbye to Bosnia and hello to Croatia...

It's been a busy two weeks since I last updated, and we have also since changed location! The week before last was our retreat for the house churches, which we taught at. It was a great week!  I loved getting to see all the house churches come together to spend time like one big family. I taught my topic Tuesday morning and didn't feel very nervous, which was an exciting first! Haha the whole week was busy and tiring, but so much fun! We had a trampoline that we could go on with the kids and lots of beautiful places to walk. Speaking of the kids, Anna and I had them the majority of the week, which was fun but exhausting! It has been a challenge for me throughout the past month to deal with the language barrier, but at least with kids it's a little easier because they just want to play. Also, I think in that week I learned more Bosnian than the 6 weeks before! Hahah the kids were always trying to teach me new words while we were playing games. The week flew by quicker than I expected and before I knew it the retreat was over, and we were driving back into Sarajevo.

Our last weekend and half week in Sarajevo was wonderful, but sad. Saturday we finally made it to the pool, which was probably our most relaxing day off of our entire outreach. Haha I needed and really loved just laying out in the sun and swimming in the awesome pool. Plus it was great to spend the day with Larry and Jill just chatting and enjoying a peaceful afternoon. Sunday we made our last trip to the NATO base, which was also a little sad. We had a great time though. Monday morning we went to the Children's Center. We took some bags of groceries and a bag of balloons and went to say goodbye. It was tough to say goodbye to all those kids that we had so much fun playing with, and it was really tough to say goodbye to the women that worked there and love on those kids every day. Tuesday we went into the center and walked through the markets for the last time. We had lunch at our favorite place, ate our favorite meal, and then I went souvenir and gift shopping. Wednesday morning we did a deep clean of our lovely apartment and said a few more goodbyes before heading off to the bus station. 

Driving away from Sarajevo was surreal. It didn't feel like we were actually leaving. I remember the night we first arrived in Sarajevo. It was late and the lights of the city were beautiful, everything seemed to sparkle. I was so excited for outreach and what this city would teach me. Well two months later, we are driving away and sad to see it behind us. The time we spent was extremely challenging at times, but there were also wonderful moments that made every tough time worth it. We grew as individuals and as a team. We are a family. I've finally hit the point of dreading to say goodbye to these amazing people in just 5 short weeks. It will be weird to be home and not wake up to all of them sitting around the breakfast table waiting to start the day. I will stop there before I make myself cry. Haha

So we travelled to Mostar, BiH on Wednesday afternoon. The views traveling into the Herzegovina section of Bosnia were beautiful. We made it there in a little over two hours and when we arrived at the bus station were greeted by the hostel owners who were there to pick up our luggage so we didn't have to carry our massive backpacks in the heat to the hostels. It was so sweet and so appreciated. The hostel was great! They really make an effort to have a family environment. In the evenings they have all the people staying at the hostel down to the patio for Bosnian coffee. Thursday we did some team debrief work, then had lunch and headed out to swim in the river! The river was beautiful but very cold and very strong. It was so hot though that the cold water felt amazing. You just jump in, swim around for 10 seconds, then jump out and warm up in the sun. Walking back from swimming I had an interesting interaction. A street child that was out begging came up to our group after her mother spotted us and sent her in our direction. When she came up I said no, but apparently she didn't like that answer so she smacked me... On the butt... I only had a swim suit on, so it was literally on the butt. Yeah, so that was a moment that I was thankful for self control. My initial reaction was to pop her for smacking me, but knew that wouldn't be the greatest idea, plus we were out in the main street. I also realized that she doesn't really know too much better. I mean, she should... But being raised in the streets forces them to be more aggressive and rough, especially since the parents are often rough and abusive.  . Anyways, Mostar was beautiful, and it was also a much needed bit of down time.

Now onto Croatia! What can I say? I'm in heaven. Haha I've been dreaming of going to Croatia every since I started watching ER? There was a really good looking guy that was Croatian and his language sounded cool. Lame, but hey it is what it is. Moving on... Croatia is beyond beautiful. It's warm and sunny, and there are palm trees! Didn't realize how much I had missed them until they were there in front of me. Also, the sea is incredible! The water is sooo clear and blue and AH. So nice. We got to explore Split Friday afternoon, which was awesome. It seems very Italian in many places. We got to explore Diocletian's Palace, which is now full of shops, apartments and awesome places to eat. At 8pm we got on a boat to take us to Trogir, and it was the most beautiful ride ever. There are mountainous island everywhere. The sun was just starting to go down, so we enjoyed a beautiful sunset. An hour later we docked in Trogir and made our way to our apartment. The apartment is great. It has enough beds for everyone and two full bathrooms which is such a blessing. A new experience here has been no A/C in the house, so it's hot. There is a mini A/C in the kitchen, but it doesn't quite reach all of the apartment. Also, there is no hot water. But the combination of these two things work well together! You're hot, so you go take a cold shower, and it's all good. Haha :) 

This week we will be working an English camp! I think it's going to be a lot of fun! We are doing in like 2 minutes from the sea so there is a lovely breeze, and we by a swim break! Woo! I think is will be a great end to our outreach! In closing, Friday we fly back to the Czech Republic. I'm so excited to see the rest of our team! I'm sad that our time of traveling is over though. I have learned to love the roads between locations and the excitement of being in a new place. 

P.S.  I'm getting super tan :)

XOXO

Cute Kiddos, Hiking, and Travel Changes

It seems to me that for this outreach God likes to save the best for last. This week was incredible, and I think the next 3 weeks will follow suit. Not that the first month of outreach wasn't good, but it was tough. Things seem to be flowing better now. There have also been some change in plans, so I will update on that as well. 

This week we spent M/W/F at the children's center! We did crafts and games and just loved on the kids the best we could. Not being able to have a conversation with them because of language difference was tough, but it was still good. Wednesday we took them to the park and had ice cream. I must say we played a game with them that was basically an extreme squat workout, plus we had to play duck duck goose in a squatted position because the ground was a little wet. So I got quite a workout and am still feeling it. Haha. Anyways, seeing pictures of these adorable little ones will have to wait til I get home because of protection reasons we can't post pictures of the kids on Facebook. But just trust me when I say they are super cute.  :) I will be sad to say goodbye next Monday, but am thankful for the time I got to spend with them.

Yesterday we went on what I would call an extreme hiking adventure. The others that are used to mountains and elevation and just exercise in general thought it was normal hiking, but yeah... I come from the flatlands, so it was not an easy task, plus i was wearing my Toms. I now realize that was a bad decision. We were thousands of feet above sea level, and there was still snow on the mountains along our path. We hiked somewhere near 10 kilometers up and down and over and around hills and mountains. I must say after my squat workout with the kids just a few days before, I was still a little sore and was definitely feeling the burn. To add to the soreness, I fell three times... y'all know my middle name is grace, right? haha Anyways, the views and the scenery all around us were incredibly beautiful. I wish my camera did it justice, but it doesn't. Eventually hours later we made it to Lukomir, which is a village out in the middle of no where. You walk into it and feel like time has gone backwards and suddenly you are seeing what life was like hundreds of years ago. It was amazing. We took some great pictures, which I will try to post by next weekend. 

Up next on the agenda is a week long retreat in the mountains that we as a team are in charge of the teaching. So Tuesday morning I will be teaching on the Fruit of the Spirit and mainly on what love is and how it should affect our lives. On top of that, Anna and I have been put in charge of the little kids for the week. So I think  it's going to be busy, but fun! 

Now for the change in plans... Originally we were leaving here on Tuesday the 18th to start slowly making our way towards Montenegro, but sadly that has recently been cancelled. We will now stay in Sarajevo until probably Wednesday morning, then make our way south to Mostar, BiH! Then Friday we will make our way to Split, Croatia! I have dreamed of seeing Croatia and couldn't be more excited! We will be there for a full week, and starting Monday we will be helping a new YWAM base with working an English camp. Then Friday we will board a plane and fly back to Prague. Woo! God is good. We got the flight for the same cost of being on trains and buses for over 20 hours. We will arrive back in Cheb, CZ that night. Then will be patiently awaiting the arrival of the rest of our family who will be flying home from Turkey! 

These past few months have been the time of my life. I couldn't be happier or more thankful for how this time has been. I have the most amazing extended family that comes from 9 different countries. I will be extremely sad to say goodbye to them all, but I hope and pray that one day we will get to have a reunion. We've been talking about Spain... :) 

A fun little thing that my friends Andreya,  Mark and I have been doing to keep in touch while our South Africa is separated into the other team is to take turn asking questions that we all answer. This week was my turn, and my question was "What are 5 things you will miss most about Europe, and what are 5 things you excited for back home?" So I will share my answers with you all...

What I will miss about Europe: 

1. My YWAM family!!!

2. Trains. Haha I have really enjoyed the trains. Oh and metro surfing :)

3. The ability to travel and experience different places and cultures.

4. The ability to just walk down the street and buy groceries or walk around town.

5. The views of the beautiful cities we have seen... Prague, Budapest, Belgrade, Sarajevo, and of course Macedonia.

What I'm excited for back home:

1. The OCEAN! I miss the sun and the sand so much.

2. Seeing my all of my friends and family that I have so terribly missed! Especially, my friend Sammy who is due to have her first baby a week after I get home, and my two little ones that are growing like weeds! I miss those little munchkins so much! 

3. Foooooooood. Seriously, I haven't had steak in over 4 months. Or bacon. Or fried chicken. Or seafood. Or sushi. Or caesar salad. Or publix subs. And many other delicious things. I'm so tired of bread/pasta/rice ALL.THE.TIME. 

4. I can't wait to drive my car!!! McNubbins... I miss you and hope that I remember how to drive you properly after not driving a vehicle for 6 months  :)

5. Warmth and sunshine! I don't like being cold and cloudy weather. Haha

Until next time... Much love to you all! xo :)

The halfway point...

Sorry that it has been so long since I've updated! Things have been busy here trying to plug in where we can. Outreach is halfway over, which is totally crazy to me. We will be back in Cheb, Czech Republic in 28 days, and I will be back in the beautiful Sunshine State in just 56 days. I'm overwhelmed to say the least, such mixed emotions. The longer I'm here the more I miss home, but at the same time the longer I'm here the more I dread saying goodbye to this group that has become family. I've been living in Europe for over 4 months now and the adjustment of coming home will be very exciting but difficult. I've been in 6 countries and experienced so much in my time here. God is so good and has done so much stretching on me. I feel stronger and more independent, so much more grounded in who I am in Him. I know I can go anywhere and do anything because He goes before me, with me and behind me. 

There have been many challenges a long the way. Many times I have felt like I was at my absolute limit, ready to break, but God never gives us more than we can handle. I've also found that when I am hitting a point where I'm struggling that a special treat will come up and pleasantly surprise me. For instance, about two weeks ago I was telling a few people in my group about how much I love horses and going riding, but don't get to do it very often. Well this last weekend after church I was talking to a couple of American missionaries, and they said something about how their daughter rides here. So they offered that I could go with for a trail ride up in the mountains. AH! Seriously, such a treat! :) Thank you Jesus for wonderful surprises. So today (if it stops raining) on my day off I will be on horseback in the beautiful mountains surrounding Sarajevo!

Another exciting bit of news, we finally got in at the children's center here! We've been trying to figure it out for weeks, and now we are finally going. The center takes children off the streets, showers them, feeds them, and gives them a safe place to play and just be kids. So for the next week we will be trying to spend as much time as we can helping out there. Then our final week here will be spent working a "retreat" where basically all the house churches will come together and spend 5 days together bonding and learning together. As for our job, we are in charge of all the teaching. I'm a little nervous, but at the same time looking forward to it. I think God put in my heart to speak on the Fruits of the Spirit and what the Bible says our relationships with others should look like - "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."

As for where we will be going after this, we will be leaving Sarajevo on the 18th and making our way towards the Montenegrin coast. We will spend a few days there then make our way home up the Croatian coast. We are hoping to meet up with a new YWAM base in Croatia to help with a camp they are running, but not sure yet if that will work out or not. Then we will be back in the Czech Republic for 4 weeks, two of which will be teaching and debrief and the other two will be "touring" talking to churches about where we went and what we did. July 25th is graduation, and Monday July 29th I will be traveling home. Crazy. 

I look forward to seeing you all in just 8 weeks! xo :)

MACEDONIA! :))

The past few days have been incredible to say the least. Since we are stuck in the line to get through the border I will write to you all. There is so much to say, so I will start from the beginning. Warning: it's going to be long. Also, I'm sharing my honest feeling, not because I want you to be concerned, but to show that God is in control and taking care of me.

Tuesday morning Tom (one of the main leaders of the house churches here) came to see us unexpectedly and asked if a few of us could come over to help his wife prepare for a children's program she was running in Macedonia. She had just arrived back from the States on Monday night and was leaving early Wednesday morning to travel again. Toms way of explaining what was going on immediately made me think, "Carley, offer to help with the children. You've been praying for a children's program to work with, go for it." But of course, I wanted to check with my leader first. Funny enough, my leader beat me to it and asked if she would like an extra set of hands. Side note: when we were praying for outreach in the beginnings of March, one of the students was praying and got a verse that read "Come over to Macedonia and help us." As you know, neither teams are going to Macedonia as part of their outreach, but when this came up I realized it was Gods way of telling us to keep our eyes, ears and hearts open for Macedonia. Next thing I know my hand is in the air and a phone call is being made. A few hours later, while helping Kristie pack all her stuff for the conference, I found out I too would be going to Macedonia. 

Then the roller coaster began. The doubts came in. What the heck am I doing? What makes me think I'm qualified? Who do I think I am joining a team of older adult women? Why am I leaving my team to go somewhere alone? I had so much joy and peace when I made the decision, and I realized now that the enemy was creeping into my mind and attacking my weak points. I went to my leaders crying from frustration and confusion. Thankfully, God provided me with some fantastic leaders that were able to help me calm down and sort through my thoughts. Another concern was telling my mom because I know she worries and would be much more concerned than necessary. I've been adjusting to this missionary life, and as Luke reminded me "You're God's little kid! He's not going to let anything happen to you." So I talked to my mom, and I fell back into a wonderful place of peace. Everything was ready. Prayers said, team approval, bag packed, mom notified. Go time.

Less than 24 hours after finding out, I was in a little car headed for Macedonia with two women I had met the day before. I must say they are great, and I liked them from when I first met them. One is a long time YWAM-er and the other the wife of our contact here in Sarajevo. I also got to share a humorous moment with them along the journey as I encountered my first "squatty" aka a bathroom that is just a hole in the ground. Yeah, enjoy a slight gasp, then giggle. I couldn't help but laugh.  Anyways, it was a 7+ hour journey to south Serbia to pick up another woman that was a long time friend of theirs and also used to be a missionary in Sarajevo for the conference. She graciously opened her house up to us for the night. We got there, put our bags down, ate, then went to service. They both are very involved with a large Roma church (for those of you that may not know what that means - gypsy is the less nice word for Roma). I loved it. I couldn't understand a lot of what was happening around me, but I couldn't stop smiling. These people have such energetic prayer and worship. It is fun and contagious. There was over 200 people there, mostly women and children because the men were still working. Two things that I thought about during my time there that I will share... First, I only remembered to bring the shoes that were on my feet which were sandals. I realized that probably was a bad move, and that I would probably end up either with something gross on my feet or an injured foot. Into my mind then came the verse that says "Blessed are the feet of those who bring the good news." So I thought, okay God you're right. I should know that you are protecting me, even my feet. Second was the sights and smells I encountered in that tent. It was so strong at one point that I could almost taste it. Then came another reminder, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." He was right of course. It was the sight of His children coming to praise Him, and the smell of work, poverty, and a culture inside of a culture (Serbian Roma). It was beautiful.

The next morning we got back on the road to finish the last 2-3 hour drive to where we would be staying for the next few days. We arrived early afternoon and then got a mini tour from the pastors son. We went into the closest city which was Stip. We eventually went back to the house, and the rest of the team had arrived. I instantly liked the wonderful women that I would be with for the next few days. They were so kind and welcoming to me. We also met Pastor Jimmy who is incredible and so funny. He is from Nigeria, but has been living in Macedonia for almost 20 years. So we had dinner then a meeting for what we would be doing for the first day. We prayed, had communion, then all went to our rooms to settle in for the night.

Day one was busy but enjoyable. We woke up at 7am, left at 8, arrived where we would be for the day by 9 and started within the hour. The first day we had 9 children, and they were awesome.  We had a guy translator that was great with kids and really helped us a lot. I was assisting, so basically on my feet all day. When the kids and Kristie would be over in the circle teaching, I was at the tables cleaning and setting up for the next activity. We were constantly rotating and keeping the kids moving. The kids had a great first day, and as I left I prayed they would all come back because I didn't even think to say goodbye to any of them.

Day two rolled around quickly and again we were up, out the door, then on the road to start another busy day. This time we had doubled in children! We had 18 little ones (which later turned into 20) to herd down the road towards our room, which by the way was about a 8 minute walk down the road. It was another great day of teaching and playing with the kids. We did lots of crafts and games, but they also heard the gospel message. Then when things were coming to a close we gave the kids their gifts of coloring books, colored pencils and t-shirts. We went back down to the main hall and they went up on stage, sang Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. Two kids shared what they learned, and it was precious to look at the moms all tearing up. It was an incredible two days, and I felt beyond blessed to have been part of it. Those kids left knowing that God loved them, and that they are special because God made them. We said goodbye, took some pictures then got back on the road. We spent about 6 hours with the kids both days, so by the time Saturday night rolled around we were exhausted. 

The drive home that last day was fun because we stopped to take pictures in the flowers. One thing that I absolutely love about Macedonia is the incredibly beautiful wildflowers that are all over the sides of the roads and throughout the valleys. It left me in awe everyday. Pastor Jimmy made a great point about it. He said, "Are these flowers beautiful? Do you like them?" Of course the answer was yes. He then said, "This world is flawed, full of sin. Imagine what the flowers in heaven will look like." I could have cried.

Our last night we had ice cream for dinner. Healthy, I know. It was so funny though to sit in a group of grown women all having ice cream for dinner like a bunch of kids. We did some debriefing and just talked and encouraged each other for about two hours, then eventually made it to our rooms for the night.

Our last day was spent mostly in the car. It took us 13 hours to get home. Alongside the way though I got a huge blessing in the form of seeing the other half of our team at their base in Serbia. It was wonderful and almost didn't feel real. I've missed them so much!

Anyways, we finally made it back and it was so good to be reunited with my team! Macedonia was a wonderful experience, and I was so thankful for it. God stretched me a lot in that time but in great and needed ways. 

Budapest, Belgrade and Sarajevo

It has been a busy first week of outreach as we travelled down to Bosnia! We started 6am Monday morning as we made our way to the train station, and then made our way towards Prague. We got to Prague around 10am then waited for our train which came almost 2 hours later. A little before noon we got on our train that we stayed on for the next 6 hours which took us to Budapest, Hungary. After 14 hours total of traveling, we were all happy to have 2 nights in one place and a little down time. We stayed there with two friends of Luke and Magdalena's, Will and Kim. They were so nice, and it was awesome that they took in the 8 of us for 2 nights. Oh and their house was like something off of House Hunters International... Yeah. Budapest was beautiful and has so much charm! I think it is one of my new favorite big cities. I also liked that it feels big city but isn't as packed with people.

After a day of exploring Budapest, we got back on another train for 6 hours to go to Belgrade, Serbia. This is where things got a little complicated. One of our guys was kicked off the train at the border for not having a visa, even though we had previously checked to make sure he didn't need one. So him and another student waited in the border station til 2 am to go back to Budapest to figure out the visa complication. God was faithful through it all, and the boys made it back safely and even got some great ministry opportunities on their extended way back to us through Croatia instead of Serbia. As for us, we took a mini bus through the mountains, and I must say it was a little on the horrifying side. Drivers here are a bit scary, but we made it safe and sound! God is so good, and we were all so happy to finally arrive in Sarajevo! We were blessed with a beautiful apartment and great location in the city. The boys finally made it back to us late last night, and we couldn't be happier to have our team all together again. 

So about Sarajevo! First, it's an absolutely beautiful but broken place. The views are like nothing I've ever seen before! The easiest way to explain the city is that it's like a bowl, we are in the bottom surrounded by mountains on all sides. At night lights cover the mountains like blankets, it's amazing. Lastly, my favorite thing would have to be the street markets. Whether its scarves, jewelry, clothes, fruits and veggies or things I cant pronounce they are fun and beautiful. The city is still clearly suffering from the war. Bullet holes cover the sides of so many buildings. There are also Bosnian roses, which are spots where grenades hit and were filled in with red cement many also mark where people were killed. Buildings missing roofs or half burned or just rubble of what used to be a house are all throughout the city. There is a 40% unemployment rate here, which is also apparent on the streets. Elderly, children, mothers carrying babies... They all walk the streets asking for money. The city is hungry, and not just for food. The country is stuck in a spirit of religion. Here you are either Orthodox, Catholic or Muslim. None of them like each other and they are separated by here they live. In the main part of the city is mostly Muslim and outside is separated between Serbs and Croats. 

As for what we are doing here, we are partnering with house churches here to help them and encourage them. They happen almost every day, so we are paired up and commit to one group. Friday nights we also go to a worship meeting and make dinner for the people that come. This upcoming Friday night I get to do a little  children's message, which I am quite excited for. We also do street evangelism, which is new and a little scary for me, but I am trying my best to adjust and step out of my comfort zone. It's not what I thought it was because all I've ever known before of street evangelism is crazy people yelling turn or burn. Reality is basically just talking to people, getting to know them and building relationships. Our lives should be a reflection of the gospel and so evangelism becomes a natural process of just sharing life with people. There is also a city run program which takes begging children off the streets, bathes them, feeds them, tries to find their families and they also teach a workshop to try to help them. So I'm really hoping that we will be able to volunteer with that!

Anyways, the mall which is our Internet source is closing, so I have to come to a close. Love and miss you all! Thank you for your continued prayers and support! See you all in just 12 weeks! xo :)

Farewell lecture phase, hello outreach!

Tonight is our last night in the River House, and I must admit it's pretty sad. We found out this week that we wouldn't be returning to this monastery when we get back from outreach. I've learned to love this place and call it home for the past 3 months, so it will be weird to walk out the door for the last time tomorrow. 

Speaking of tomorrow, we leave bright and early to start our 12 hour journey to Budapest where we will stay for two nights. Then continue our journey through Serbia and down to Bosnia! I'm very excited for the change in location, temperature, culture, and much more! It will be awesome to see some new countries and meet new people. From the beginning I've been dreaming of outreach. How we will see God move, how we will experience new things, and how we will grow. I think it's going to be an amazing two months, and I couldn't be more excited!

So in case you are curious, I'm living out of a little back pack and an equally small duffle bag. Those two bags will carry all my necessities for the next 9 weeks of travels through Eastern Europe! I also have one of the best snack bags ever thanks too all the delicious snacks sent from home for my birthday including lifesavers, beef jerky, gummies, pretzels, goldfish, and a family size pack of chips ahoy. Delicious, I know. 

On a random side note, I will say this now because this feeling might change after how much time we will spending in trains during outreach, but I love traveling by train. I'm going to miss it when I get home because its not as common, but it really is quite nice. I also really miss my car! Haha! It's been so weird to only be either walking or traveling by train. 

Anyways, I will update you all as soon as we are settled in, and I have wifi! 

Oh and side note... I will be home in 90 days. It's crazy how fast the time goes by.

xoxo  :)

Group Bonding & Wilderness 101

So as many of you read on my Facebook, Wednesday through Friday we went to Hainichen, Germany for 3 days of team building. It was an eventful few days so I will mainly write about that, then a little about our last week here before outreach.

We arrived Wednesday by train early afternoon and started with a few group rules and games, then we loaded up a trailer with our backpacks strapped with sleeping bags, mats and giant water bottles. We got into a van and were driven to an unknown to us location. That was where the journey really began. We would walk a ways then stop to play a team building game then walk some more. I knew there was a really good chance we would be spending the night in the woods, but I was talking to God all day just begging for something similar to a camp ground that had bathrooms! After about 3 miles of hiking with our heavy bags we entered a city and inside I was jumping for joy thinking "Thank you Jesus I won't have to sleep or pee in the woods!" Well premature rejoicing on my part. Next we played a game where we were blindfolded and had to hold onto each other. We each had 30seconds to look and run to the end point which had been described to us. We finally made it up the hill, under a metal railing and further up a hill. We finally got to the top and low and behold, we were back in the woods. We loaded our bags into the trailer which was waiting for us and had brought us our camping equipment. We also had a fun situation of the van and trailer getting stuck in mud, but after that was all done we were off to our sleeping location for the night- a big chunk of woods in the middle of a huge field! We gathered firewood and started tying up tarps for tents and for a somewhat private "bathroom" aka a hole in the group. I must say the biggest challenge for me that day was that we had to pee in the woods. Anyways, after we had made a fire, a "bathroom" and a huge tarp tent to cover the ground where we would all be sleeping, we made food. Ham and cheese sandwiches toasted over the fire! I was so hungry that it was like having grilled cheese for the first time. I basically inhaled them. The next fun situation was sleeping on an incline. I woke up to the side and below my sleeping mat. It was freezing cold though so at least I still was curled up in my sleeping bag with my towel covering my face. I think I only got about 4 hours of sleep that night, so the 6am wake up was not exciting, but we laughed and continued to try to wake up. One of our leaders sat up and said, "Did someone get the number of the car that hit me?" At first we were all confused, then we got up and realized that we all felt like we had been run over by something. Later it was announced that we were packing up everything, so again I was thinking "PLEASE God let us be going back to the base." Sure enough we walked less than a mile, and we were back at the base. We were then shown our rooms and the bathroom and shower- hallelujah! Don't get me wrong, the camping was really quite fun, and we all had some great laughs, but I was ready to be clean and warm. 

We had a little break and the for the remainder of the day we did the low ropes course, which was super fun! It was definitely challenging, but so fun. The trick was there were 10 sections that were all connected, and team A and B (according to outreach teams) started on opposite ends. If you fell off, you got a blindfold for your team, which makes the course way more difficult. Our team was doing great and made it through the first half without any blindfolds, then of course I fell off the rope swing. That moment sucked. The guy in charge then said to the team "Who is going to take the blindfold?" I thought it would automatically be given to me, but it was first offered to the team which sucked even more. I didn't want anyone to have to take it, but I also knew that if I was blindfolded I would probably fall again. So luckily, Juan took the blindfold since he was pretty well balanced and good at holding on. It was a humbling moment, and I was thankful for my leader being willing to take my blindfold. By the end, a few more people had blindfolds which meant slower movement and clearer communication was key. I was the first one to the very end and was standing just helping another blindfolded teammate off when another fell. Luckily, I was able to take the blindfold then hop down and finish. Thanks to Luke and Mark who did an excellent job of guiding the team through the course. Everyone stuck together, and we finished happily as a more unified team.

Later we did two parts of the high ropes course. I wasn't able to do the first because I had injured my shoulder during the climb and had a big swollen knot that couldn't take anymore pulling. So I cheered as my YWAM family climbed up a tree and across a wire holding only onto 5 little ropes each hanging quite a ways apart. Second, we did a giant swing which was super fun. You are harnessed in and they pull you up, then you release the pulling rope and go flying! It was awesome.

The last night we made some awesome fresh pizzas and ate way to much! We were all so hungry and tired. We cleaned up and went to bed for probably the most needed sleep ever. I don't think I've ever fallen asleep so quickly in my life. The next morning we got up and the base had made us an incredible breakfast! There were some delicious scrambled eggs, rolls, hot chocolate and more! After that we made our lunches, did a final team building time, then loaded back up onto the trains to go home.

Back in the River House we quickly unloaded our smokey clothes and started the dash for the washer. This weekend was a busy one. Lots of laundry, cleaning and trying to figure out what we need to preplan for outreach packing. Last night Mark and I cooked "American dinner" of grilled chicken, potatoes, fruit salad, and apple pie! It was delicious and so nice to be outside!

Anyways, this is our last lecture week! Crazy, huh? Our teaching is on destiny and calling, which I'm super excited for! I think it's going to be a great final lecture week here! Plus my birthday is on Wednesday, so that is really exciting as well! I already have a couple packages from home that came today and another that should be here tomorrow. I'm super thankful for friends and family back home that sent me stuff! It's nice that it will still somewhat feel like my birthday even though I'm on the other side of the world far from my family and friends celebrating the big 21. I must say it feels somewhat silly to celebrate my 21st in Europe where I'm already legal and pubs are totally casual, but oh well. I'm looking forward to a great day surrounded by my YWAM fam!

Last but not least... outreach! Please be praying! Last minute visa stuff is still not quite finished for some and others are still waiting on finances to come through. We know God will provide! As of last week over 3,000euro was shared amongst our group all supporting each other as best we can! It's awesome to see how God is blessing this DTS, and we trust that He will continue to do so. We leave next Monday morning, which is scary but also extremely exciting! So please also be praying for safe travels for both teams. Team A (my team) will be traveling by train, and  Team B will be driving a van to Serbia, so prayers of smooth travels and no car problems would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much, as always! Y'all are awesome! 

See you all in 3 months! XO

:)