Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday

Wednesday- Today is our last day here in Alicante. We went evangelizing one more time in the center of Alicante after lunch on the board walk next to the Mediterranean Sea. At 5 o'clock Megan, Jint and I went back to the house. We were planning on everyone coming home, having dinner, and then going back to the beach. Since it would be silly to both waste gas a go home. So the three of us came home and made dinner for everyone else and then brought it back to the rest of the team at the beach. We arrived back at the beach at about midnight. This was the night where the festival hit its peak. So they would burn the statues down and there were fireworks everywhere. I didn't see any of the statues burned down, but I saw the fire of it in the background. Our plan was just to worship on the beach while everyone else was partying and what not. It was good, it was fun when strangers started singing with us. We didn't get back home until 3am and I didn't end up going to bed until 4am. I was so tired, people were trying to talk to me, and I am just thinking "you are a nice person, and I would love to talk to you from the hours of 9am to 10pm, but it is 4am. Can you please SHUT IT!" hahaha LOL. I didn't say that I just nodded and mhmmed. :) 

Not sure if I showed you this picture already. But the sunset was so cool! 

Thursday- Today we just traveled back to the YWAM base in Madrid. 

Im going to miss this little bundle of joy! Her name is Cloe, and she is blind. But that doesn't stop her from going anywhere so wants! Haha

Friday- Today was a chill day for me. I was super tired from the past week so I just mostly stayed in bed, watched videos and read (don't worry, it's for College English, why else would I read? Hahaha!) I ended up taking a walk around the neighborhood, which turned out to be a bad idea because it was bigger than I thought and it was 95 degrees outside.... Oh well, at least I got ice cream! :)

Saturday- Today was one of my favorite days! Marilyn and Terry drove me sight seeing to a dam, and then a little village in the mountains. :D

I though this was an amazing sight... But just wait... There's more!!

I 

Boom! Whaaaaaat

The Dam in Madrid- WOW

#selfie

#idontlikehashtagsbutIliketakingpicturesinfrontofthings :)

Next we visited a little town in the mountains. There are like 80 people who live here. Super small- but super pretty!

Saturday is when everyone takes their motorcycles out and rides around the mountains. 

Bus stop

Cute little restaurant 

 

Part of the town

So this is where people would separate wheat back in the day. 

See the wall way back there? That is where they would keep sheep! 

We stopped at another look out for a different angle to view the dam. :)

I'm so tiny!!

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

Saturday: Today we went evangelizing again. This time we did it with signs, and we did a flash mob. When the drums played we all fell down like we were dead. Then when the drums played again we ran and held up signs that said "every second 2 people died, what if it was you?" Then before everyone went away everyone went up to the people who were interested and told them about what it meant and about God.

At night we went back to the church and did a program for teens in the neighborhood. There was singing, testimonials and a small sermon. As I told you before, I had been struggling with my faith, so I talked when some of my friends and they answered some of my questions. Then the team told me things that I felt came directly from God to show me that he was there. I knew that there was one last step I needed to take. Tonight I had an opportunity to rededicate my life to God, so I did. I felt so much relief to just start over with God. I felt like he was there, and telling me that I was his daughter and he told me that he has, will, and always be there for me. It was amazing, and so grateful for that opportunity, as I feel a step closer with God. I can't explain this feeling, but I just felt so much better, and if this is the only thing I get out of my trip to Spain, it was worth it 100%. Coming here I hoped I would find God, and that is what happened today. :)

Sunday- Today we got up and went to church. First we had breakfast with the people at the church. Then the service was in Spanish, but I had headphones and Megan, my cousin, was translating for me so I could understand. It was really nice! Then we went back, had lunch, and had a 3 hour meeting. During the meeting I told my testimony and we just talked about the day before. After the meeting we went to another beach. Although it was nice, and I had fun in the water for a while, I almost died when I swallowed water. Seriously it's like someone poured hot tar down my throat, waited for it to dry, then tore it out. Haha! Ouuuch... But then I walked along the beach and collected a whole bunch of sea shells and that was so munch fun because I found so many different kinds!

After the beach we all went to a bar in Alicante (here, bars are like restaurants) to watch the Peru v. Columbia soccer match. Another thing that Megan told me was that unlike America, the customer is never right here. The people who run the bar is always right. I found that interesting! The food there was good- burger, fries, drink for 3,75 euros! The burgers are different too. They put eggs, and some kind of meat along with everything else. 

Meraris, Megan and me!

Giant hamburger! And fries :)

The second beach

 

Monday- Today we had the morning free, and then we went out to do the flash mob Evangelism which was pretty good. We met people to help us from the church, so we had more than the day before. After that, the leader Goyo bought stuff for a BBQ dinner. The only problem was that it was 12:30 by the time it was made. It is becoming a usual. Breakfast at 9:30, lunch at 2:30, dinner is usually at 11....... Anyway, it was really good! I am getting to try a lot of Spanish foods, and some of it is really good!

There is the Hogueras festival that is going on. I don't know too much about it, but is it SUPER popular and people come from all over Spain to celebrate it in Alicante.

One of the many statues they burn down as part of the festival. 

Also as part of the festival, they dress up as people would way back in the old Alicante. Apparently they are considered "the wives of fire" or something because this festiva is to celebrate fire. I'm not really sorry- something along nicely those lines :)

Tuesday- Today was our free day. I got to sleep into 11:30, woooo!!! Haha. Then for breakfast was just we make whatever we want. The problem is, there isn't nutrition facts like there are in the states, so it doesn't tell you how many calories you are eating.... Haha it's really annoying. After breakfast most of the team piled into 2 cars and headed to a castle on a mountain in Alicante. Let me just say- it was so amazing I can't explain it in words or pictures! But pictures will be the best option. :) The car I was in got dropped off at the base of the mountain the castle was on so we jut had to walk up. When we could find the others, we called them, and they said they were on the other side and that we were lost. It turned out that they got dropped off at the doors of the castle, and we ended up walking 20 minutes up a super steep hill in like 80 degree weather. HAHAHA! It was funny because we were at the bottom (and it looked like a mile high) and the three guys were waving at us as they stood in the shade as we trudged up the hill. :P :) Finally we arrived and we got to tour the castle. It was amazing!!! We saw the barracks that the soldiers lived in, and you could see the whole city and sea from up there! 

After the castle, we went back to the the center of Alicante where I tried some traditional Paella. It is Spanish rice with sea food in it. It was very good! Then we got ice cream (the the cutest ice cream ever! They put a tiny ice cream cone on top of the big one!!!). One thing I learned, and I am not sure what other Latin America countries, but here in Spain if you have food, and you have to offer to share it with everyone. If you don't they will think that you are rude, and selfish, and think that you don't like them. Luckily I love sharing my stuff, so I didn't learn from experience! Haha :)  After that we walked around, and finally met everyone at the Alicante Bull ring. It was packed! There were bands, and instruments, and people everywhere! Walking there I met a nice gentleman (who spoke English woo!) who said he was going to the bull fight. Then we headed to the beach again! Where we swam (well, I didn't swim, I more like died in the water when I swallowed more water and had to struggle my way to shore while looking like a broken seal who can't swim)..... That water is brutal! That's okay, we had a really fun game of volleyball and then soccer!

Oh, you mean we could have driven up to the door of the castle?!?! No problem, I enjoy crawling my way up a steep mountain in 85 degree weather.... Haha!

At the top! So worth it

Top: Alex, Maik, Saray, Chipry, Gint

Bottom: Megan, Meraris, Jane, geez I totally forgot the name of that last person. Dang man..... ;) ;Pc

Gateway entrance thing into the castle! 

Sorry I didn't get a good shot of the castle... 

Don't shoot! 

Beautiful! Little disclaimer: see the edge? Yea, that was literally the slanted edge of the wall. Slip, and you will fall hundreds of feet onto the Rocky Mountain side. :) 

Boo! Haha jk, don't fall here either. 

Yup! That is the whole city of Alicante and the Mediterranean Sea! 

A little walkway that jets out of the castle. There is nothing under my feet but one foot of concrete, hundreds of feet of space and a rocky bottom :) ..... Cool!!!

Yes, I am standing on the wall of the path that jets out. But hey, it's a cool picture! 

Apaella- yum!

Cutest ice cream cone ever!!

It's the bull ring of Alicante!!

Okay, long story. I was walking on the street and this man comes up to me, and asks me if I wanted this hat. I had no idea what he said because it was in fast Spanish, but before I could think he put it in my hands and walked away. Haha! Okay..... I didn't want this hat! Dude come back and take this hat back, it prolly has lice!! Lol, So I gave it to Goyo, because it made me look like an American Farmer who was lost haha! 

One bull fight is about to start!

Sunset at the beach!!

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Wednesday- Today we woke up at 7am to get to breakfast at 8. The pastor's family feeds us in their giant house. The food is always so delicious! After breakfast we headed over to Castalla International, which is a really rich village about 10 minutes away. We did evangelism around the town, which was a new experience for me. I can't say that I enjoyed it- but it was a good experience. We headed over to another town, and instead of going door to door- we clapped for people in a tunnel like fashion on the street. It was a good experience, but I would rather spread the word of God a different way :) Lunch was at 3, and then we headed over to the local park here where we got to play with the kids and talk to the parents! I really liked this because I got a chance to make balloon animals for kids! There was also a performance by the WYAM crew who did dance and drama. It was really cool! I liked this better because we had a chance to know the people before telling them about God. It made it more personal. 

It is really fun, because my new friend, Alex, is learning English, and I am learning Spanish. We help each other out, try to make the other say a super confusing word, while of course the whole time it is painstakingly awkward as most of the time we have no idea what the other is trying to say. I have made many other friends too, and I love practicing my Spanish with them! After dinner we played a really fun group game. (Our team won twice! Woo!) And then we prayed for young people in the church, and got to bed around 2am. 

Beautiful neighborhood of Castalla International

Thursday: Today we left Castalla and traveled 45 minutes to Alicante, which is right by the Mediterranean Sea. It is really hard because I have only been getting 6 hours of sleep the past two nights. The place we are staying in Alicante is really neat! I feel like I am in a seaside bungalow! Even though there isn't a view of the beach from here, but there are mountains! There are two houses that we are staying in all in their property. I am staying in the main house with two other girls. I share a bed with Megan, and then Jane is on a mattress on the floor. The funniest part of this stay, is that the only way to get into the bedroom is through the bathroom that we are sharing with 5 other girls. Hahaha!!! So it will be interesting to see how to get 8 girls through one bathroom. Now to mention that the shower doesn't have doors, so if someone is in the bathroom we are either locked in our room, or locked out of our room. AND we are literally right next to an hour, so evpery hour we get to hear 10 different planes fly over us! Haha ROFL. 

At night we traveled to the center/ghetto of Alicante to do another show like we did in Castalla. At first the kids there were very rude, insulting us, throwing fire crackers type things at us (yes they were lit) and just being rude. After hearing some testimonies and seeing the awesome students at WYAM dance, you could see how they were being changed. After the show, I got to play games with them, and it was very fun! It was cool because at the end of the night they didn't want us to leave and you could see how God was changing their hearts. Many members of our team told stories of how they talked to people who didn't want God, but then in he end they wanted more of him. God does amazing things through these members of WYAM. Through this trip I am learning more too, I have been trying really hard to find God and I hope by the end of the trip I will have found him.

After returning to the church, there were snacks for us to eat. I was so excited because I saw peanut butter sandwiches!!! Nope, not peanut butter sandwiches. Turns out, it was something very common that they eat on bread here. Stuffed duck intestines. Yes, while the duck is still alive, they stuff the intestines with something, and then eat it...... I have never been more disgusted. Haha oh well! It is part of the experience to try new food, and I have tried lots of different food!

This trip has been amazing so far, and I am learning so much! Thank you all so much for your prayers. 

Goodbye Castalla!

Mountain View the whole way to Alicante

One part of where we are staying

The other part

The girls bathroom. Haha!!! (Our bedroom door is to the left.)

Wow look, it's a plane! I haven't heard or seen one of those for at least 4 minutes. Haha 

Don't ask them to take a picture of the view. This is what you will get. Haha!

Learned my lesson. Not peanut butter, rather stuffed duck intestines....

In the center of Alicante. People are setting up statues to burn down for the La Hoguera Festival they have in Alicante to celebrate the high of the sun or something like that.

Friday: Today I got to sleep in until 10 o'clock! After breakfast we had a team meeting and people shared their experience about the night before. It was cool to hear how different people got to know God because of how he worked through us. For example, there was this one person who was going to kill herself, but she felt like she needed to go to the park for some reason. When she came to the park, she met someone from our team. She accepted Jesus into her heart that night and God was the one thing that was missing in her heart. 

I also had a revelation today with God today. I had not been feeling close to God for months, so I talked to some of my friends here and they helped me clear up some questions I had. At the beginning of the week, the Monday I went to church, a lady came up to me. I had no idea who she was, but only that she was from the church. She told me that she could see that I had questions about God. That I doubted God was there for me. Honestly it creeped me out, like a lot. She told me that God would show himself to me this week and that my questions would be answered. :| WAT. I swear it felt like she was a mind reader, and I wanted to believe her! After talking with my some of my friends today, I had a lot of my questions answered, and they said that God will show himself to me in ways that I least expect it. Well after lunch that day, the whole team sat in a circle. Jumpy told everyone that they would have 5 minutes just to talk to God and he asked them to ask God what he wanted to say to me. Keep in mind that I only had two people I told about my problems with God. I was blown away with what I heard. I could feel that God was talking directly to me through them and it was eye opening. Everything they said was exactly what I needed to hear for a long time now.

After lunch we got to go to the Mediterranean Sea!! It was suppose to be a trip to connect with people and invite them to the church, but it ended up being just a fun day at the beach! :) The beach was amazing! Palm trees, mountains, and the water was CLEAR and the perfect temperature! First we swam in the ocean. Now let me tell you, being from Michigan, you learn that oceans have salt water, but you only experience fresh water. I forgot that the Mediterranean had salt water, well I knew, but yea. Anyway, when I went under my mouth happened to be open a little (because you don't need to worry about that in the lake!) and I accidentally opened my eyes just before I reached the surface (like I do in that lake!). NO! DON'T do that! Oh my gosh! I felt like my face had just been dipped in acid or something- the taste was awful and my eyes stung so bad I could barely open them. When I imagined going to the sea, I imagined frolicking in the sand and those commercials you see of people coming out of the clear blue water refreshed and happy. This was nothing like that at all. Imagine a dolphin trying to swim with no eyes and one fin. It was not pleasant and nothing like the commercial. HAHAHA! At least I get to say I swam in the Mediterranean!!!! After "swimming" we played volleyball. I stunk but it was so much fun!! Megan and I made a sand castle together and then collected seashells, it was a BEAUTIFUL day for the beach and I had a great time! Thanks for the prayers! Can't wait to see you all when I get back!

Meredith <3

It's a pineapple! No, wait, it's a palm tree. Waaatt?! Haha

Such a nice beach!

Megan and me

Half of the team 

:) <3

We built a sand castle!

Sunset

Woaaa