Trip Update 8

Monday morning we woke up....early. Mindy and Steph surprised Todd on 'La Placa' but I was too sleepy to go with them (surprise, surprise!). After our last morning up there, watching the sun rise and having quiet time (and an interesting round of 'That 70s Show' :o), we headed back down to finish packing. When the bus arrived, we took pictures, said goodbye and climbed on. Pino had us journal about our time there while we drove to our first stop. Just outside the city is a little restaurant with one of the most amazing views I've ever seen. Stopping here has been one of the highlights of past trips and this was no different. The food was great and the piña coladas (without alcohol!) were yummy, too! :o)

We got back on the bus and broke into small groups to discuss what we had just journaled about and what God had done over the past week. This was great! Among other things, the guys took some time to thank the girls for their modesty and we girls spent some time thanking them for their leadership and desire to protect us as well as their own hearts. Before we knew it, we'd arrived in the city we would depart from. We got to walk around for a little while and take some pictures, I got a book of poetry at this little book shop (btw, I LOVE book stores and old books :o). We ate lunch at a little restaurant with a patio and a FAN! Hallelujah for fans! And there was a peacock in the courtyard!

We arrived at the airport, got checked in, went through customs, security and then went upstairs to eat (see a pattern here? I think we constantly ate! :o). Then we boarded the plane and landed back in Miami. Wow! Amazing to be home! What a difference and culture shock! Again, you can feel it in the air and sense it all around you. It's pretty amazing! We had a fairly difficult time getting through customs, but everyone eventually made it through (even Miguelito :o).

The O-town team headed to pick up our van (praying it would be available this time!) and made plans to meet everyone (minus the Pinos :o( at Outback. See, we had decided several days ago that we just couldn't go anywhere else but Outback when we got home. So after an incredibly delicious steak and my favorit-est blue-cheese-chopped salad, we started for HOME. The ride home was pretty hilarious. I'll never forget Abot and the bottle, Ton and almost falling asleep, and a few other things. :o) Poor Juanita, she was sick at this point and slept most of the ride home. We pulled into the church parking lot at exactly midnight! I was impressed. My awesome dad had come to pick me up, so we all said goodbye and went home. I fell into bed and slept and slept and slept.

To summarize my thoughts on this particular trip: it was the most exhausting trip but the one I came home being the most spiritually refreshed. Team, what do you think?

By the way, THANK YOU to all of you who prayed for us and those of you who contributed to my trip financially. Pete, John, Snodgrass, Steve & Genie, Grandmother & Granddaddy - this would not have been possible without you! God specifically used you and your generosity to allow me to make this trip, experience what I did and serve the way I was able to. You have blown me away and I am humbled by your examples of generosity. So thank you!

Team, I am so grateful for our time together and the memories we made. It was an incredible joy to be with each of you, to get to know you, to become better friends with you, to serve alongside of you, to worship with you, to laugh with you and to sweat with you. :o) Thank you for the way you've served me by pointing out to me my sin and by also encouraging me. It was such a privilege to share those nine days with you all!!!

Last update on the Caribbean: quotables from the trip. :o)