Sunday 9th May
6.30am
I step over the 2 step team members asleep on a mattress on the floor of my room in order to get to the bathroom. The Step team have had a weeks holiday after their first project, and have been based more or less in my house. Today I'm going with them to their next project.
7am
I wake up the rest of the team so they can get packed and clean the house before the minibus arrives.
8.20am
Everyone's ready and sat on the front lawn with all the luggage. Matt and Josh (for whom 'sit and wait' doesn't quite compute) entertain the rest of us with renditions of various Harry Potter scenes or Star Wars battles.
8.45am
a minibus arrives (it was due at 8.30) -- but it's much smaller than the one I had booked - and doesn't have a roof rack - so when the driver sees the pile of luggage and people that's supposed to fit inside, he makes a couple of phone calls and leaves again.
9.15am
Another minibus arrives - still without a roof rack but slightly bigger than the first one, so we manage to stuff all the luggage and people inside and make a start on the 2 hour journey.
11am.
We stop on the side of the highway as steam rises from somewhere in the engine (ie underneath the 2 Steppers sat in the front passenger seats!) -- so half of the luggage comes out of the bus and the driver begs water from a house nearby to cool down the engine. (B tells me "You look very calm", "It's Guatemala" I reply!) A few people get out to stretch legs or pee but we're on our way again after half an hour.
12.15
The engine has cut out and we cruise for a bit downhill before finally coming to a stop. Fortunately we're about 1/2km from out destination so I call the church who are expecting us. They send someone with a pick up which we fill with all the luggage and we walk the rest of the way.
The church is decorated for Mother's Day - but also includes some welcome banners for the team - who get very excited seeing their accommodation behind the church. It's much more spacious than their last project in a rural community in the mountains. The church has managed to provide mattresses and even a few beds so nobody will be sleeping on the floor this time. There's also an oven, fridge, freezer, microwave, coffee machine and TV - all lent from members of the church. (This isn't a rich area or church - but people are generous)
Juan David and members of the church eldership say a few words of welcome before we enjoy the lunch that they've provided.
2.30pm
We join the church for their service. I'd met the elders several times beforehand and spoken in a previous service about the team coming so it's great that I'm now able to introduce them - and they sing a song that they've prepared. Juan David encourages the congregation to collaborate with the team in the project (1/2 an hour after the service, a church member turns up with a donation of food supplies for the team)
The team spend the evening sorting out their stuff and getting settled. This will be their home for the next 2 months -- so shelves are VERY exciting! And we have a few chats. A couple of team members wonder how well they really know each other and are known by others and we talk about different personalities and ways to be more real in our friendships. Someone else makes a shopping list for the trip to the market tomorrow.
Later I find Dan and Bekah (the team leaders) for a chat. Whenever I visit the team (about once a week) we get together and talk through how things are going; with the project, with team dynamics, how they are coping with being leaders and all sorts of other things. This time we talk about the strengths and weaknesses of different styles of leadership and I recommend a book for them both (must remember to bring it with me on my next visit!)
By 10pm everyone is on their way to Bedfordshire!
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