So far we have done some amazing things!  At our opening night ceremonies they told us about a crazy trip we were taking (which they called Exodus), and they gave us a packing list but no other information.  We went camping just off the ocean and it was beautiful.  We set up camp and then had dinner of ramon noodles (mr. noodles).  Prior to the camping trip we had a scavenger hunt that had an unknown prize at the end; the prize ended up being a packet of flavouring for the ramon noodles.  Our team came in 2nd and we had to split flavour packets.  After we had a time of worship and sharing testimonies.  It was so powerful to hear people's stories.  Then it was time for bed, on the rather uncomfortable ground.  

The next morning the leaders woke us up and we had tasteless oatmeal for breakfast.  It was one of the most disgusting things I have ever eaten.  It was so tasteless.  Then Sam came and spoke to us about intimacy with God.  This became the theme of the entire Exodus.  Then we played some games.  While we were playing this game we had to sit down and be quiet because a group of trail riders came by on horses.*  We had lunch, more ramon noodles, and had a quiet time.  Then we played some more games to win more packets of flavouring.  That night a campfire we got a special surprise ..... S'MORES!!!  They tasted so good compared to ramon noodles and oatmeal.  We had another time of testimonies and worship, then bed again.  

The next day was kinda wierd.  We had breakfast and shared the last of the testimonies from both students and staff.  Then we ate lunch and were told to put our dirty clothes on and be prepared to get muddy.  I was excited to get dirty.  It was super fun.  We played a version of duck duck goose where we dumped mud on each other.  Then we passed a gross mixture of oatmeal, toilet paper, noodles, graham crackers down a line to fill cups.  The last game was a pass the hand squeeze down the line, and we could throw flour into a leader's face.  We were sooooo dirty and smelly at the end so they took us to the river to get washed.  Then lunch, but then we had to pack up camp for some reason, apparently we were going to another campsite but we didn't know anything else.  So we all packed up camp and loaded into the vans and went for a long, steep and windy ride to a trail up in the mountains.  The trail was in a forest that was surrounded by pine trees and only pines trees; it really reminded me of home.

Our next destination was totally unexpected.  We went to a church and we went in a back door.  As Joel opened the door, we heard a crowd cheering.  We were done our Exodus and were at a "Love Feast."  We were sat amongst the staff and we enjoyed a delicious meal together.  Dessert was soooooooo good: cheesecake!  We ate that outside and enjoyed each other's company.  We were then called back inside for the base director, Tom to talk to us for a bit.  It was great, he talked about God's love for us and how he wanted to be intimate with us.  Then the staff left the room and came back with large basins full with soapy water, towels and lotion and they washed our feet!  In that moment as I washed our feet being washed by the leaders, I felt the Spirit telling me that He was there and that I was loved.  A lady named Loretta came and washed my feet.  She had prayed for me over the course of our Exodus and she wrote out what God had told her to say to me in a card.  The words she spoke were so personal and hit me really close to home, I knew that they were from God.  That night Jesus came into the room, washed our feet and spoke into each of our lives through people we didn't even really know.  It was so powerful and moving, I was weeping and couldn't stop.  We then moved into the most intimate time of worship I had ever experienced.  At one point I found myself on my knees weeping.

I can't wait to see what else is in store for us here.


*side note: we were asked to respect the people on the trail rides by the owners of the land by sitting down and being quiet.  they came through a couple times a day.