DAY EIGHT:

The Global LEAD staff wasn't kidding when they told us the trip would fly by. I seriously cannot believe that it has been a week since we landed in Cape Town! Today, I know I experienced one of the most unforgettable moments I will on this trip: I went to a local church in Cape Town. The church was called Hillsong and was so different than I ever expected it would be. The church service was so contemporary! Everyone there was so passionate and so expressive; there were several moments I just got the chills witnessing all that was happening around me. I loved the service! It was all about taking the first steps to change your circumstances and realizing that as soon as you make a move God will follow, even when the road your on seems to be a dead end. When the pastor asked the congregation how many of us felt as though our lives were a dead end, it was so sad to see that more than half the church raised there hands, almost if as though they were admitting defeat. Also, the prayer requests are so different from those at churches back home. Instead of help my ailing grandmother, it was "please save my twelve year old daughter from her heroine addiction," "please give me a job so I can feed my family" and so on. There are so many moments on this trip that I feel I am changing, and I know this is one of them! After church, we went to the hotel bar restaurant. The restaurant has these huge glass windows where we were able to watch the unpredictable Cape Town weather go from perfectly sunny to torrential downpour to a rainbow and then back to perfectly sunny all in one meals time. It was pretty cool! We had class in the evening today and then had such a good cookout! We had chicken kabobs, coleslaw, greek salad, potatoes, and the best chocolate cake/pie! After dinner I had to come back and pack to leave on adventure week/garden route tomorrow morning!!!! SO SO SO excited and so so so TERRIFIED haha. Two biggest fears: falling and sharks. We shall see how this goes.....After I got all packed, I FINALLY talked to Bevin!! yayayay (your probably reading this now lolz). I asked her what she wanted me to bring back for her... she said an elephant. What is up with her and Marlee?? I can't pack exotic animals in my suitcase!!!! Reasonable gift ideas please!! But, definitely going to Athens as soon as I get back!! Well I have to wake up in 5 hours so off to bed!

ps. Won't be able to blog again until friday cause I can't being my computer with me on the garden route. But, I will be journaling and will update the blog when I return! Expect numerous pictures of me on an elephant :)