30 Day Challenge: Day 8

Day 8: A Place You’ve Traveled To

The summer after I graduated from high school, I got the awesome chance to go to a mission trip to the Bahamas. I know what you are thinking- mission trips and the Bahamas don't really seem to go together. However, once you see the poverty and the beautiful children in the orphanages we visited.

I will start at the beginning of the trip. It consisted of nine people: me, my youth minister, his wife, my future (now current) college minister, one other girl, and four of our senior boys. Small, but fun! We left from the church and travelled to Florida. We arrived at our awful roach infested hotel, which was really gross, and found dinner at a very strange Mexican restaurant with no sweet tea.

The next day, we boarded our boat. The three girls shared a room on the boat- b6. It had an incredibly tiny bathroom and an even tinier tv! We finally left the port, and we were on our way to the Bahamas- yay! The best part of the boat was definitely the midnight buffet. We were exhausted, so we took a nap and set our alarms for 11:45 so we could go enjoy the yumminess.

The next day, Sunday, we arrived in the Bahamas and got off the boat. That day, we got our hotel rooms, met a bunch of other people, and ate at this really cool Bahamian restaurant that was next door to the hotel. We also explored our hotel, attempting to find the Starbucks that was so elusive. We also found that we had our own beach right outside the doors, a huge pool, and a water slide!

The next morning I woke up and got ready to go visit our first orphanage. I was all prepared- even ate a yummy nutri-grain bar for a healthy breakfast. I went back up to my hotel room before we left and immediately began throwing up. Worst thing ever when you are in the Bahamas! I was sick the entire day. Traci, my youth minister's wife, stayed with me. She got me nilla wafers and gatorade and we stayed in the hotel room all day watching Friends- and that is where the addiction to that show started!

Tuesday, I felt well enough to go to the next orphanage. At least I thought I did! We got there before the kids arrived, so we were all hanging out in one of their play rooms. Apparently, I was not entirely well and ended up falling asleep on the chair I was sitting in for THREE HOURS. I woke up to all of my friends being gone and a bunch of Bahamian children around me. Thankfully, that was the last day of the trip that I was sick.

The next day we went to the only orphanage where I actually met anyone. Pictured below is Jason, a teenager with more artistic talent than I could even imagine having. He painted pictures while we were sitting there talking to him. His dream was to come to America and go to college. He and the other boys loved playing basketball and frisbee in the courtyard.

The next day was our only free day of the trip. We went to see Atlantis, one of the most beautiful places ever! Here is a picture of it from our ferry to the island. And that is Bailey's head.

After the Atlantis, we made our way to one of the markets and shopped for about an hour before we had to get back on the boat. I bought of few things, of course, and then boarded the boat to head home! That night we got to take part in an amazing dinner where we could order everything we wanted- all the appetizers, all the entrees, and all the desserts we wanted! Yummyyyyy.

The next day, we arrived back in Florida and make our way home. A week after we left, we were home sweet home, left only with our memories and sunburn.