Day 2: Young Life Africa Experience

Local Young Life Experience and Final Gear Check with Guides

Experience Young Life in Arusha in Morning, Lunch in town with Local YL Staff, Final Mountain Gear & Equipment Check, Safety Briefing with Guides, Trip Host Orientation, Special Group Dinner & Overnight at Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha.

Tomorrow the Trek begins - click HERE to track the team on the mountain!

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Today, day one was amazing! There are parts that could’ve been the best parts of our trip already.

What started with a buffet breakfast at the Mount Meru Hotel ended with meeting our guides the local Young Life leaders and beyond staff for an amazing dinner on the patio. We experienced driving through local towns and a trip inside a grocery store (with a short power outage) while on our way to the local Young Life club. This was such a joy. We got to see local Young Life leaders and staff love on their high school and young friends. We got to hear Abraham share the gospel and read from the scripture in Swahili as well. They invited us in and shared their club with us. We danced, sang, listened, hugged, smiled, laughed, and allowed our hearts to be moved as the gospel moved in the young people of Arusha. After Club and some pictures, we headed to lunch with the local Young Life leaders and staff. Pizza, burgers, fries, and wraps all hit the spot! As a pizza shop owner, it was fun to experience Pizza in Tanzania!

After lunch, we went and toured the local college, where our DGL student Elizabeth attends. She walked us around and gave us a tour. We shot a few baskets, saw a few monkeys, and got to see the campus where 4000 local men and women are learning, growing and developing into leaders for their communities, households and ministries. I particularly enjoyed walking around campus and just seeing everything … banana trees, mango trees, trees they don’t have in America and the different styles of architecture.

Then it was back at the hotel for the quick meeting with our guides, a gear check to make sure we are ready for the trip and a dinner to top off the day. It has been wonderful getting to know the local leaders and our team. These next seven days will be great to get to know our team and our guides on deeper levels as we head to the top of Africa. Tomorrow the climb begins …

~ Raley Parker