Grace begins a busy week in the morning; she will begin at Al-Karm Ecolodge in the middle of the Sinai Peninsula, and near Mt. Sinai (see map). This is for week of spiritual, team-building adventure at this beautiful facility with most of the middle school classmates. This is a really cool adventure for a young teen as she gets to not only go to the Sinai, but also learn more about the ecolodge concept, connect on a different level with classmates and teachers, and trade with Bedouins! After 5 days, she will return with just enough time to leave one bus to hop on another for a local church youth group trip to another part of the country for an annual spring retreat. We are happy that she is connecting and creating some good friendships here, so much so that she is willing to go sweaty and gross onto another trip immediately ;)
The speaker for this retreat is a youth pastor from a different community church in another part of Cairo. His name is Weston and our relationship is a strange but true "6 degrees of separation": Weston is my in-laws' best friends' niece's son. Let me explain: Weston is the son of Virgil & Lois' niece; Virgil and Lois are college best friends of Keli's parents Frank and Pat. For nearly 20 years, I only knew Virgil and Lois by stories and a few brief email exchanges; last fall, when I traveled out west to raise funds, I had the opportunity to stay in their home in Fresno. While there, they showed me a prayer card for Weston and his new bride Amber and told me we should connect! Well we haven't personally met Weston and Amber yet--but Grace will this week. :)
It is indeed a small, small world! Best wishes to Grace as she heads out on these adventures! What fun to be young and able to sleep on stone blankets.
ReplyDeleteGrace is going to have a wonderful time! She will be in my prayers as she travels.
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