The Journey Never Goes Backwards…how awesome is that? This week has been amazing. This is going to be a quick post because SO many people are trying to get on the internet and it is super slow today so here we go:)

On Thursday I left with ten other students and twelve Mozambiquen men for outreach. We left around one on Thursday and traveled across Mozambique on the back of a truck for about four hours…it was awesome. When we arrived in the village we were greeted by children and Mamas singing, it was beautiful. The first night we spent time with the people in the village and did a short time of testimonies and singing. The kids at this village were stunning, they loved when I would take their pictures and then show them, it was as if they were seeing gold. I don’t even know if any of these kids knew what they looked like until they saw the picture on the camera.

When I woke up Friday morning and came out of my tent I was greeted by about fifteen kids just smiling with their hands pressed against their eyes, wanting more pictures…I loved it. Later that day we walked about fifteen minutes with our team and people from the village to a small river where we baptized 20 people. Every step I took to get to that river, I enjoyed because here I was walking with all these beautiful people who wanted to leave everything in their past behind them and come out of the water bran new…it was so exciting. When we were finished with the baptisms we headed back to the village and I saw this cute little pig sitting under a shady tree, so of course I took a picture, not knowing that, that poor pig was going to be our dinner (or I should say their dinner because I don’t eat meat and I am especially happy about that after what I had to witness). They slaughtered this pig and the squeals are stilling going back and fourth in my head even today!!! Horrible, but when in another culture, anything goes. One of the pastors took my camera and thought it would be so hilarious to take over twenty pictures of the pig before, during and after it was killed, I deleted them all haha. But the crazy animal eating did not stop there, later that night I was in a tent with my two friends who are married, we were just hanging out and I felt something on my hand but just ignored it because I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me, then all of the sudden Matt freaks out and says that something bit him…there was a mouse in our tent, and we FLIPPED OUT haha, it was so funny but so gross at the same time... I wish it would have been video taped. One of our Mozambiquen pastors came to our rescue and caught the mouse and flicked it until it died haha, I am laughing out loud at the internet café right now just thinking about it. After the mouse was dead it was put on a stick with about 30 other mice and they ate them all, yes, they ate the mice, ah!!! So, last Friday I witnessed things that I never thought I would see in person, but it’s Africa, and I love the fact that I was able to be apart of everyday life for some of the most beautiful people that I know. After the killing of the animals was complete and everyone's stomaches were full we headed 10 minutes up the road to another village where we showd the Jesus film to people that had never heard of Jesus before, it was pretty amazing. We were able to pray with people and talk with the people of the village...it was an experience I will never forget. So many of the people here live everyday as if it is their last and when I hear their stories and get glimpses of what they have been through it makes me sad but it also makes me want to live everyday as if it my last day. I know I have said this before, but everyday here my eyes are opened even bigger than the day before.

Saturday came around quick and in the morning there was a Mozambiquen wedding that lasted about four hours because there were three couples being married at the same time, it was such an awesome experience. It was funny because in the middle of the wedding they asked us to do a skit haha, it was so funny, you guys have no idea how different weddings are here than they are in America. I mean, three couples at one time with a random skit from Americans in the middle of it, so funny. The wedding was beautiful and the couples that were married were truly in love so it was a blessing to be apart of their special day. We left around one to get back to our base in Pemba and didn’t arrive there until around five but the time went by super fast because we have many entertaining Mozambiquens on our team, it was such a blast and the fact that I had a nice cold shower after four days of no water, made the outreach even more amazing.

I really cannot believe that I only have about three more weeks here, I will be home in less than a month, crazy. Today when I get back from town I am having an interview with Iris about long-term commitment. I obviously have to come back and finish my last year of school (Don’t worry Dad) but after that I really have no idea what I am going to do with my life haha. I really believe that I will know a lot more during this next year than I do now, and I am really ok with that. As of right now I am trying my best to just live in today because who knows what tomorrow will bring, everyday here is so different yet so insightful and exciting, life is just exciting!!

I hope that everyone at home is doing well, everything here is going great I am healthy and have been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for every meal the past three weeks haha…ok and chocolate and popcorn when I am lucky, ha! I hope that you have a wonderful today, thanks for checking in on me..missing you all:)