My First Team. C'est Bon!

Wow.

I maintain. Two weeks in Africa feels like 2 years. It's amazing how you can be with people non-stop 24 hours a day, and feel like you're known them your whole life! I made some awesome friends on the team and felt very encouraged and blessed by them. I am positive that God sent some people in my life to be great friends...even though they are now on a plane heading back to the states. It's amazing the bonds of friendship that Africa can create. The things you go through to together...words can not even begin to express.

We had an amazing time! Between home visits up in the mountains, the landcruiser forgding its way over footpaths, muddy slopes and what seemed to be sometimes impossible roads, or no roads at all...amazing.

On Monday morning I was on my way to a home visit with Sarah and Carl in the Landcruiser with Emmanuel driving. It had just rained. We'd dropped off the other team members at their locations and were headed to ours. We were driving on a dirt road, which in this case was a muddy road. Bridges? Bridges are made out of logs. In the past we'd always joked about the day the land cruiser broke the log bridge and got stuck. That day finally happened. With Carl Sarah and I. We sat there for a moment as a crowd of men gathered. Emmanuel tried to floor it and get it out. No use. The wheel had cracked a log and was now stuck in its place. So what else is there too do, but hop out, skirts and all for Sarah and I, and push the land cruiser out. Carl, Sarah and I somehow managed to do just that, in our flip flops. We pushed the huge land cruiser out of the rut with about 20 Burundian men just standing by just watching. Sarah I always took a face plant in the mud, our flip flops sliding all over. As for us. We were smiling. Anything that makes a great story later often puts a smile on my face. Muddy or not...

Mount Songa/the hot springs in Rutana and the source of the Nile. A fabulous day. The climb to Mounta Songa was SO beautiful. treking along a mountain in Burundi passing children hurding goats. Pricesless. There was something so beautiful, so wonderful about it. We had an amazing time. However note to self. One bottle of water is not enough. I was through it by the time I was too the top. It was a warm day. But hey I ended upwith a great tan!

After a 3 hour jaunt across the country--we finally made it to where the hot springs were located. The men went over to their hot pool and hopped right in. The women, let's say its never simple for the women. After treking barefoot across a small river and arriving to our "hot pool" which was about 4 feet wide, 1 foot deep and with a naked woman in it; decided we were better off in the men's pool. So we hiked our way barefoot to where the men were. (Note: walking barefoot across rocks, a river, and cattle poo is not fun. I do not have tough feet!) However once we finally managed to join the guys in the hot springs, random mysterious water bugs were biting everyone. Within three minutes of getting in, I was out, trying to escape being bitten but an unknown creature. Yes I am saying creature. Some of my teammates were not so lucky. Still, a good story is always fun and we had a great time! (Us girls changed out of our suits hiding behind a shawl and a bush. We are a resourceful crew!).

I had a great time wearing Burundian skirts, called Kitange's. I wore my two skirts well and was more a Burundi Kazie (Burundian Woman), then ever!


All and all, it was a great first team. I learned alot about my role and made some great friends! I'll post some more pictures. However we all know it takes me a lifetime to upload on here. So if you want to see ever more pictures, check out my facebook!