Preparation, Departure, and Arrival (WR/COA)

Hello all!

It’s been a slam filled schedule this past week with preparing for leaving (at Training Camp), departing from the United States and arriving in Kenya, Africa! There’s a lot to share, so let’s make like a full course meal and lay it all out on the table for ya!

Preparing
In preparation for leaving for our first country (Kenya, Africa), we started to partake in a lot more physical challenges and scenarios that would get us acclimated to the possibilities that the World Race has to offer. One scenario included walking through a town market in order to get our team food for the evening. While that doesn’t seem like much of a task, the scenario was cranked to an 11/10 with the different people we might encounter ranging from money exchangers, drug pushers, party inviters, homeless people, and even those of the promiscuous nature. From what I took from the scenario, it wasn’t about who you’d meet, but rather, how would you respond to those whom you met? Did you give them a shove or a dirty look or did you sit with them, treating them with the dignity and respect that God has given to us all? Did you look out for the betterment of others and take the initiative to make the scenario an opportunity? It was these kinds of things that were disclosed to us after the scenario that we came to be more aware of.
Another activity that we participated in was an intense two mile hike up Mt. Yona. After hiking the mountain, we set up camp and made dinner for ourselves (hot dogs over a campfire). The next day resulted in us hiking back down the mountain around 6 am (before the sun even came out). It was these physical challenges and scenarios that worked to prepare us for what we might encounter out on the field.

Departure:
After being at training camp for a total of two weeks, we officially left for our first country on Saturday, September 14th. With four different flights (each with their own varying time for layovers), our travel time stretched out over the span of two days totaling to 34 hours! It was time of excitement but also exhaustion (as I started to get sick with sore throat, congestion, a bit of a cough, and pressure in my ear). But I definitely got to sleep on the 8 hour flight from Paris, France to Kenya, Africa. And amidst it all, God’s hand was in it, allowing everything to run smoothly and flow seamlessly. Honestly, we all are so grateful!

Arrival:
When we finally arrived in Nyali, Kenya (around 2 am), we were greeted by our host’s husband who offered to pick us up along with all of our bags. We travelled to their home and got the run down of everything. The hosts were so kind and generous, we couldn’t have asked for anything better. While it may have been the exhaustion from four flights talking, one of my first thoughts that came to mind was: “What did I get myself into?” We had left the cool, crisp air of Nairobi and entered into the humidity of Nyali. And while there was an initial fear, the fear soon dropped off like shedded skin when I found myself on the flat roof of the nearby neighbor’s house (at 4 am in the morning) listening to some of my teammates share their story of what God was bringing them through. It was this vulnerability that reminded me why I’m here: to love God and love others. Through the time I have with God, fellowship I share with my team and the way we serve others (such as our hosts), God’s love is seen through it all.

Funny Stories:
And then on a funny note, there have been some funny instances while being here in Kenya. For example, not being used to the locks, I got locked into the bathroom… with the keys in my hand (twice). 😂🙌🏻

Love y’all,
Hunter Land