"It's the elevation!"

That is a joke we have here on base.  The base is at about the same elevation as Denver.  We blame everything on the elevation.  If we are having a difficult time making it up the hill to the classroom, it’s the elevation.  If we are hungry, it’s the elevation.  If we can’t focus, it’s the elevation.  We have found ways to blame pretty much everything on the elevation.

Last Saturday my group got to go into town.  We walked around the shops and got some snacks for the week.  I was excited to go into town, but it was also kind of weird to be back in civilization in an area that didn’t look that different than what I am used to seeing in the U.S.  That afternoon I had the opportunity to hike Mount Everest with a group of people.  Mount Everest is one of three mountains we have here on base.  Ironically, it is the smallest of the three.  It was a difficult climb, but it was so worth it!  The view from the top was incredible.  It is impossible to be up there and not be amazed by God and His creation.  I will try to post some pictures soon.  On Sunday all of the interns went to African church in the community we worked in in Qwa Qwa.  Let’s just say it was an interesting experience and it was alot different than what I am used to.  It did spark some good discussions afterward, so that is good.

On Monday we started our work at Limakatsu.  In the morning half of the group went to the school while the other half stayed on base.  The group at the school took down the ceiling, renovated the playground, and planted a garden.  We are still in the process of putting a new ceiling up and renovating desks.  Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to start painting the classroom and ceiling.  The group that stayed on based worked on lesson plans.  In a couple of weeks each group is going to spend a week in the school teaching the students about God.  So far each group has had two days on base and two days working on the school.  In the afternoons this week we have been taking classes on Leadership, Missions, Community, and Kingdom Living.  I didn’t really expect to be spending my sumer sitting in a classroom, doing homework, and writing papers, but the classes are really interesting and I think I will get alot out of them.

Yesterday I found out that I was picked by my team leader to be part of a Barnabas crew.  We are responsible for encouraging others.  There are six people doing it (the two team leaders and two people from each team).  Alison and I are on different teams and have different leaders, but we were both picked to be on the crew.  I guess people see us as being encouraging?  We were each given a list of interns and staff that we are going to pray for and leave encouraging messages and notes for.  It will be a new experience, but I am excited to be apart of it!

On a side note, one of Alison’s cabin mates, and someone we have both become good friends with, passed out on Sunday night and hit her head really hard on the wooden floors.  She has a condition where her heart doesn’t pump enough blood, so it wasn’t completely unexpected, but still not good.  She is doing better now, but she has a concussion and has damaged the soft tissue in her neck, which is actually good news compared to what the doctors were concerned about.  She has to wear a neck brace for the next two weeks and if she were to hit her head again, it would probably do permanent damage.  Please pray for her healing and comfort in this painful process.  

Christine