Mozambique Part 1

So it's obvious by now that I'm struggling to put my experience into words.  I figure, the only way I'm going to actually make a written record of my time there is if I sit and force myself to come up with something for y'all to read.  Tonight I'm going to share a coupe of my favorite photos from the trip - I apologize now for this being a bit disjointed. 

The first is from our first morning at Milpark Hotel.  We arrived in Chimoio, Mozambique after the sun had set and after a long day of travel, because of that I had no idea what the grounds of the hotel looked like.  Rikki and I both woke up before 4:30 thanks to the crazy time difference.  Waking up this early allowed us to see the sunrise.  Rikki was the first out of bed.  She opened the curtains to find the most amazing sunrise either of us had ever seen.  We both opened the back door of our room to get the full view.  The below photo was what we saw.  It was the most breath-taking view and I'll never forget seeing it for the first time.

Sunrise over Milpark, March 5th

While we were staying in Chimoio, we were working at Gondola Training Center in Gondola, Mozambique.  One of my favorite memories of the time we spent at GTC is the children there.  The kids at GTC were the first children we really had the chance to interact with.  We had the opportunity to meet them, listen to them sing us the Mozambican National Hymn, give the gift of soccer balls to their school, and spend some time playing with some of the kids.  Looking into the eyes of those children was life-changing.  I've never seen such joy before.  Their spirit shined through their eyes and through their smiles.  I know by American standards, they have nothing, but in reality they have everything most Americans strive to find - happiness.  

After the gift-giving ceremony at a primary and secondary school near GTC

Playing with the kids at GTC

This next photo is my favorite picture I've ever seen of myself, not because it's a particularly great picture, but because I think the joy I was feeling at that moment shines through.  At the point it was taken, I had given my camera to a boy (who I'd guess was 8 or 9 years old) to use.  He was having a blast taking pictures of all of his friends and of us crazy Americans.  In this photo I'm holding his book - a Portuguese reading book - because he couldn't figure out how to carry his school books around while snapping pictures.  At this moment nothing else in the world mattered to me.  

I would give up almost anything to go back to this point in time...

After leaving GTC, we traveled south to Inhambane where Carolyn Belshe Orphanage is located.  The orphanage is truly amazing - there is more to write about the orphanage than I can write right now, including a well dedication ceremony.  That being said, this little girl was one of a handful of kids that stole my heart. She was so so sweet and had the most beautiful dimples I've ever seen.

Playing patty-cake, March 9, 2013

I'm going to go ahead and close this with the most amazing videos you'll ever see.  This proves Michael Jackson is a universal language.

Jamming to MJ in Chokwé