A LOT OF FIRSTS

Well, as most of you know, a year ago this month, I went on a medical mission trip to Africa. I experienced several things for the first time like: flying-my first time flight was almost ten hours...I guess if I am gonna do it, do it right the first time! mission trip- This was my first mission trip I had ever gone on. Leaving the Country--this was definately a first!

We spent a couple months getting prepared for this trip. We had to take special shots, special medicine, have meetings with other team members who were going, and most of all get mentally

prepared.

Me, personally, I probably prayed more in those 2 months than I had prayed in a long time! Not knowing what to expect, flying, leaving my family, all of this was scary for me. The experience was worth every second of nervousness that I had! I thank God for letting me have this amazing experience!

This is the team that went. There were 9 team members that went from Tennessee. The guy in the very back was the missionary that was there waiting on us to arrive. The team members are: Me, Angie,Roger, Leda & Tom Riley, Dave, Alvin, Jim, Mike. (These last 4 guys were from Cleveland, Tn)

This is us after having about 3-4 hours of sleep after our plane ride to Africa!

This is what I could see from my window seat! It looks soooo soft!! I would fly anywhere in the world now! I loved it!

This was people waiting outside the wall of the compound to get in to the medical clinic.

This was our meals!! We ate around what we called the "community bowl". They would bring the food out in a big bowl and everybody was supposed to DIG IN!! with your hand, and all eat out of the same bowl. This was definately different! Our meals would consit of some kind of meat, chicken or goat or fish, with rice or potatoes. Nothing like we had ever tasted. You might see a chicken running around this morning and it might be supper tonight!

I have many more pictures I could share, but this is just a few. If you ever get the opportunity to experience something like this, do it! It was so amazing to see and experience a different way of life for a few days. As we were leaving, it was a bitter sweet feeling....glad to go back to our family, but really hated to leave because there were so many people there that needed our help. I hope in a couple years that I will be able to go back. Maybe, I can get Wayne to go with me! (yeah right)

Although, it was a wonderful experience and I will never forget it, I really enjoy simple life with the clayborns.