As we stepped off the plane in Thailand, our team of adventurers was filled with excitement and anticipation. We had been called to serve, to learn, and to immerse ourselves in the beauty and culture of this incredible country. Little did we know, the next two weeks would be a journey that would leave an indelible mark on our hearts. Our first challenge was a long and arduous travel day to reach our accommodation. We navigated through confusing directions, endured lengthy bus/train rides, and braved winding roads. Exhaustion began to set in, but our spirits remained. Finally, after what...

God told us to “Live with them.” Little did we know how powerful that one statement would be and how deeply impacted we would be by doing this simple act. Living with them, with our hosts in Uruguay, doing daily life with them, serving them, worshipping with them, eating with them, talking, laughing, working, just doing life with them all impacted us beyond words can contain, but even so, I’ll try.  Coming from the bustling and quick-paced city of Paraguay, entering into the cold farmlands of an Autumn Uruguay felt like entering Eden. From the start, the Lord was up to something and...

Our journey to Paraguay was somewhat unconventional. The night before our arrival, most of us either slept in a police station or in a stranger’s home as part of a Travel Challenge. This time of hitchhiking involved a lot of faith, trust in God and each other, and simply put, fun. There is nothing that bonds a team more than contesting over who can do the best ‘wiggle-dance’ on the side of the road to see who can attract a car the fastest.  Two days after crossing the Brazilian border and completing our first international Travel Challenge, we pulled up to our ministry base in Paraguay,...

The eleven of us Westbounders arrived in São Paulo, Brazil, with all our bags adding up to a little over 220kg, containing unwrapped snacks from the Johannesburg airport, and full of expectations that we knew what we were doing. Now, as our time here comes to an end, we’ve stripped our luggage to the bare essentials, eaten all those items from home, and realised that when God calls us out of the boat, all expectations of walking on water must be abandoned if we are to do the impossible with him. This was our awakening. Much like the city of Brazil, we were bustling with life but still...