Day 11 and 12: Mweka Gate and Banquet dinner at Arusha Coffee Lodge

I think I speak for everyone when I say that we all had the greatest night’s sleep we could have ever imagined after coming off Mt. Kilimanjaro. Although the next morning some of us woke up with an African stomach bug, that didn’t keep us from devouring a delicious buffet breakfast at the hotel while we reminisced about the great highs, challenges and lessons of the mountain. Many of us rested until the afternoon when the local Young Life staff took us shopping! We hit up the infamous Maasai Market where we were more or less pestered by the local vendors to find the best African tchotchkes (aka small pieces of worthless crap, or decorative knock knacks with little or no purpose) money can buy. I was thankfully escorted by Alexis, who bargained for me so that I wouldn’t have a panic attack. We all quickly learned the Swahili term “hapana” which means “no thank you.” I did have a moment of anxiety as I felt a mix of pressures to purchase African goods, vulnerable that I was being ripped off, and the tug to support the local vendors and their families. I did end up buying a few gifts, which included but weren’t limited to salad tongs, a jersey for my daughter and Maasai blankets, of course. After we all successfully purchased our souvenirs, we went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.

Our final meal was at the Arusha Coffee Lodge. We enjoyed delicious cuisine, wonderful wine, and reminisced about our past journey. Drew and Alexis asked each to share why we felt God had brought us to Tanzania and on Kilimanjaro. As we went around and shared our hearts, tears were shed and smiles beamed. There was a strong sense of unity amongst our team as reflections brought light to what God had done in each of our hearts. This time is always a favorite for me, as I looked around the table and realized I now have 24 close new friends with a bond between us that nobody else shares. These bonds will no doubt last a lifetime, because God brought us all together to complete this arduous journey together. Many commented on how we couldn’t do it without each other and how we learned about the strength that God gives us when we are forced to rely on him. These lessons are invaluable and difficult to be learned in the comforts of home. Ash ended the evening with a heart felt, hilarious and emotional reflection on our past week together.

We all headed back to the hotel and I personally got 15 minutes of sleep before we had to meet at 1AM to make our 4AM flight to Zimbabwe. While we were all exhausted, we were grateful for the work God did in each of us and in our group, giving us a greater glimpse of His love and recentering our vision on Him! We cannot wait for our next stop along the journey, where we will be in Victoria Falls with Young Life Zimbabwe staff, relaxing in a luxury resort and enjoying a safari, Victoria Falls, river cruise and poolside lounging. I must say that without the amazing and difficult week on Kilimanjaro behind us, the pleasure of the days in front would not be as glorious. The journey has been hard and long,but with people around us and God as our guide, we can reach the top. And surely, the view will be more spectacular than anything you could imagine.

Melissa