we survived the trip!

here is what mark looked like when we left for the adventure :

this picture was taken in the emergency room about 24 hours before we piled up 3 vehicles with 17 kids and began our journey. 

(mark was on a strict schedule of antibiotics and alegra and fever meds) 

the trip from Itu to Belo Horizonte is about 8 hours. normally. 

but our Volkswagen van broke down 2 hours into the trip .... so we were on the road from 3 pm on Friday till 1 pm on Saturday.  now here is the crazy thing: we are so glad it broke down! we had no idea how to get to the camp, so had we done the trip in 1 day, we would have arrived in BH at 1 am, with no one to receive us, and no beds to sleep in (there were not enough places at camp) .... but since the van broke, we had a nice night at ATIBAIA, where some of our good friends live who kindly let us invade their home. 

(our fave van!)

we got the kids up at 4am, and watched the sun rise on our journey. 

great conversations, and snacks, and laughs,  and stories... and we finally arrived in Belo Horizonte! yay!

(zacca in my car. love this kid!)

the camp was full - about 250 people! 

our group was incredible! the energy and joy that the 16 of us brought to the site was contagious! the other teens were asking where in the world we had come from, followed by "when is your camp??" =) 

(chapel)

(part of our group after first night of "sleep") 

the Kaiseres (what our youth group calls themselves) have chosen a theme for this year: TurnedInsideOut. they talk about how they want to be a group that looks for ways to help people and not be so focused on their own belly button. they inspire me.  .......... so at camp, each day they chose what piece of clothing we were going to wear turned inside out. hillarious. shirts the first day. jeans the second day. and when people asked what on Earth we were doing, they'd explain the perspective of the group. nice. 

(all the young adults that accompanied the youth) 

so guess what? the volkswagen van broke down on the way back, too. minor this time, compared the the broken clutch on the way there (Little Miss Sunshine, anyone?)

so it was all very unforgettable. 

our next venture is a city wide youth rally in March. no vans involved. 

we are blessed!

kaisers