Survey Trip: Week One

Saturday, May 31^st – We arrived in Luanda at 4:00 a.m. We spent the day getting settled in at the Baptist guest house in Luanda, buying groceries, meeting some of the missionaries, and trying to stay awake until a late enough hour that night to avoid jet lag.

Sunday, June 1^st – We spent the day with one of the ICA churches in Luanda. We worshipped with them; then they served us lunch. That afternoon, we visited a couple of other churches and met some of their leaders.

Monday, June 2^nd – Most of the guys went into town to meet with some of the ICA leaders. Rusty stayed home because he had some sort of stomach bug. I enjoyed some time just to relax, write in my journal, and do some laundry. And Alex got to take a real nap for the first time in almost a week!

Tuesday, June 3^rd – We spent the day in downtown Luanda. It took two hours to get there and even longer coming home because there was so much traffic and congestion. We walked on the waterfront, had pizza at an Italian restaurant, met with the Secretary for Religious Affairs, and registered at the U.S. Embassy.

Wednesday, June 4^th – We began the drive from Luanda south to Lobito and Benguela (also on the coast). We didn't leave until about 2:00 p.m., and after a couple of breakdowns, it was dark and we were only halfway to our destination. When our second wheel bearing gave out, we decided to call it quits for the night. We were in a fairly large town, so found a hotel with two rooms for all of us to crash in.

Thursday, June 5^th – We got up early and finished the drive to Lobito (the mechanic replaced the wheel bearing while we were all sleeping). We met with one of our contacts in Benguela for awhile, then got lunch and drove out to the YWAM (Youth with a Mission) compound where we were staying. Most everyone else went back into town for the afternoon. Katie, Alex, and I stayed back and all got good naps.

Friday, June 6^th – We met with a realtor who showed us several housing options and gave us prices and other helpful information. After a late lunch, we walked down to the waterfront and spent some time just walking on the beach and playing in the waves. There are some really lovely beaches here, and the best part is they are not overrun by tourists (yet)!