we're HERE!

Bom Dia! I feel like it's been forever since I have written, but we also have lived on an airplane since Sunday at lunch time! We had a 12 hour layover in London and got to explore near Green Park and saw So much!! The Millennium Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, etc. It was unreal and we were so privelaged to have the opportunity! I have a ton of pictures!

Then when we got back on our plan that evening, we flew all night, once again, and went to Johannasburg for a layover. We didn't have enough time to get to our next plane since we had to recheck our bags (there is currently a disagreement between those airlines) so It took quite a while. But through all that... WE MADE IT! So here I sit, in Maputo, Mozambique, Africa... writing to you in a classroom of the Maputo Nazarene Seminary :)

So we finally got here to Africa around 3:00pm and waited outside the airport for quite a while for Tomas, our site coordinator. He is a college student here at the bible college where we're staying and used to be the NYI coordinator until he got married and now he and his wife are expecting a baby. but when he picked us up he came running out of his car and sprinted all the way to us. he gave us all a huge hug and was so welcoming. It was a relief to know we would be picked up :) haha. So he drove us, and all our crazy luggage to the school.. i have never seen anywhere like this. There aren't really roads at all, but dirt paths and people selling things like toilet paper and toothbrushes at them. Cars are on opposite sides of the street but also drive into traffic everywhere else! It's very interesting. haha. But when we got here the Restricks (our life savers) showed us where we were staying. The girls and I are in a room with bunk beds right now. We each have a mosquito net and a sheet. It's very nice and better than we could have expected.

The children all ran to us when we arrived and began singing to us at the top of their lungs. We danced around together and held them. They loved to hold our hands and just touch us. They are absolutely beautiful. I have never felt so "right." I felt as if I was right where I belong- I can't really explain it.. but like I was just, right. Ahh.. They're so beautiful. All I could do was cry... It was so overwhelming to be those that I have been praying for so much and to finally be where I have dreamed of being.

Meals are also a very big deal here.. they had dinner ready and expected everyone there. There is a work and witness team here right now of adults, and they run a dentist ministry. They eat with us too. You would love them all and especially Dave Restrick. They're an older missionary couple and he teaches as a professor here at the college- but also is huge in the Nazarene Church here. They have lived here for 17 years. Together they run so much that goes on here at the Seminary.. and Rhoda is a nurse. They are such great people! They will be awesome people to work with and to learn from.

I would love for Zach and I to come back here and have them take us to North Mozambique. They tell us that North Mozambique has nearly no education, churches, or anything. With one road and people so hungry for structure. I think it would be an amazing place to teach and to also learn.

Anyways.. we are still so exhausted but excited to be here. Tomas has planned for us to work in several churches and to do some teaching at some (which I think is like General) Assembly for Mozambique. We will also be working a lot with Youth. Today the Restricks and the Work and Witness Team are traveling so we are here and exploring the campus. We will be able to play with the kids again once school gets out at 3:00. Later this week they are arranging for us to have a couple Portuguese classes so that we will be able to work more with this community! They are so generous to do that. The Restricks are giving us about two days to catch up on sleep and overcome jet lag before all of this begins. Thank you Lord :) Thank you for all your prayers!! We made it through carrying our site funds, luggage, and ministry material. The Lord was truly protecting us! Thank you so much!

I wanted to also mention that we all drew popsicle sticks at training camp to receive a name of someone to pray for that is going on Youth in Mission this summer, but to a different country than our own. I received Daniel Hillian, who is going to Giuyana in South America. He never really told me anything in particular to pray for but help me by keeping him in your prayers! He wrote this verse on the other side of his popsicle stick, James 1:19, 20:

My dear brothers, take note of this:
Everyone should be quick to listen,
slow to speak and slow to become angry,
for man's anger does not bring about
the righteous life that God desires.

I will write later this week. I love you all.... now you can be more at ease. We are safe and in great care. Thank you for everything!
Love Always, Allyson... (Aleee-sone is how it sounds around here) :) Love it!