We Made it to South Africa!

5/19/24

Beginning on Friday the 17th our team departed from Florida and embarked on a three day journey to South Africa. These were the days that we have been awaiting for months, and now they are finally here. Each of the team members have said yes to the Lord's calling to ago abroad and now we are here to serve Him.

The past few days have been packed with each of our domestic flights/ travel back to Florida, a two hour train, a 10 hour flight, a 10 hour layover in London where we got to explore the city, another 10 hour flight to South Africa, and a two hour domestic flight in South Africa to get to the area we will be staying. To say we were all exhausted would be an understatement, but we arrived with no issues and all of our bags! A big thank you to all of you who had been praying to travel mercies!!

We have only been at our base for a few hours now but it is undeniable that the Holy Spirit dwells here and within each person who lives here. I immediately felt right back at home as my eyes were cast upon the views on this base that have been filling my mind as a memory for the past two years.

After settling in we spent the evening enjoying a braai (a South Africa style barbecue) with some people who live on base and are partnered with our organization, Ethnos. The evening for me was filled with a long awaited reunion of long distance friends who have become my family. Feeling and memories have been rushing back to me like no time has past, but so much has changed, including myself and my my friends. Although these changes are not bad, Since we have parted we have all been pursing the Lord in our own ways, and I cannot be anything but grateful that he has brought us back together for another season, and that my friends form PBA are also here to encounter the Lord and make new memories with us.

This is only the first day of many to come, and I can already feel the Lord's favor upon this trip.

Praises:

• That we had safe travels

• That all of our luggage arrived

• For a beautiful day in London exploring with friends

• For the views at our base which continually remind me of God's beauty

• For friendships that can withstand distance and resume like no time has passed

Prayers:

• For fulfilling rest in our bodies, our minds, and our souls as we fight jet lag and prepare to begin ministries within the next few days

• That over the course of the next few weeks each team member would truly loose themselves in the Lord, replacing our desires with what God desires

• For our connection as a team, that is would be completely built on the Lord; building each other up and pushing each other that results in a deepening relationship with each other and our father