Due to the nature of this blog I have to break it into the below parts so it will make more sense in reading so here we go:
1.The last week in Fuza
2.Our first challenge (a 1 day Amazing race type adventure)
3.Time in Bogota
4.Next stop Venezuela??
5.My time
Last week in Fuza:
So the last week in Fuza was spent finishing off all the building projects we were busy with. The last weekend before we had to finish we had 5 Students from Bogota that came to join us in the work. We had till the end of Thursday to do it and at 16:15 on the Thursday it was all done, so some good timing on our side even if a few of us in the team had some upset stomachs that kept us out of work in the last week. The next few days were spent in some last teachings, hanging out with the students and people on the base and packing. Monday (22 Apr) we set out from the base with a bit of a surprise. Over all time at the base was a good time of learning and individual growth for the team. It was also a time of peace and rest even if we worked full days.
Our first Challenge
After breakfast on Monday we got a small surprise in the form of a sheet of paper. It was challenge time, a challenge is basically a mini version of “the Amazing race” where each team gets a list of tasks to complete in any order they want and score points including the order they arrive at the end destination. Each team also gets a small amount of money to start them off and for use in the challenge. Our challenge started at the base in Fuza and first task was to get to the place we are staying in Bogota by a certain time to drop the big bags. All 3 teams failed to get there on time because all 3 teams got lost. The rest of the tasks included to get to a few historic and tourist places in the city and to eat some local food ect. 
The pink team (me, Luiza and Jansie) headed out from our lodgings in Bogota and 2 houses from there a couple asked us if they could help us get a bus, we spoke to them and asked them about the places we need to go, they were very helpful and took us to where we could get a bus to the Monserrate where most of the places were located. While speaking to them we found out that the gentleman is a tour guide that had a day off. We got off the bus, our start money spent with not enough to get home, but full of confidence that the Lord will provide. One of the items was to get to the top of the Monserrate mountain to the cathedral there, we walked the rest of the way there and an english speaking student helped us along the way and told us the different ways to get on top (walk for 1h up or take the expensive cable car) Since Luiza was a feeling a bit ill we decided to ask at the ticket counter if they can let us go up for free and if not we would just not do the item since we will not make the walk up and down and the time it would take. When we asked at the counter and explained that we are in an amazing race event they would not let us go for free, but they said no. Some of the people there heard and just gave us money, the security guard joined in asking and directing people to us and in no time we had enough money to pay for the ticket up. While we waited the people before us started speaking to us in english, it was the police commissioner of the district and his aid. They went through our to do list and told us what of them we could do on top. They then sponsored us for the tea and the ants we had to eat, yes ants, “big ass ants” as the lady described it. They also pointed us to where we could find one more of the food items, when we got to the stall and asked the lady if we could just have a taste and take a photo since we were in a Amazing race type event she said yes and asked what other foodstuff is on the list, she then gave us full portions of 4 of the remaining 5 foodstuffs on our list for free. The view was really beautiful from the top and we had a great time up there. We walked down the mountain, since we did not have enough money to take the cable car down and then walked to the fountain of Quevedo, the place where the city of Bogota was birthed. 
The walk there and to the Torra Colpatria (the tallest building in Bogota) took us through the old, interesting, colourful and beautiful neighbourhoods round the university and Monserrate. From there we went to the central park in an taxi, since time was running out and we had some left over money, we got to the park only to find out it is closed, from there we went home and got there 30min before the cut off time for the challange with most of the items on our list ticked. We were the first team back and in the next 40 min we all were together again and sharing stories of our exciting days. It was so good.
The pink team (me, Luiza and Jansie) headed out from our lodgings in Bogota and 2 houses from there a couple asked us if they could help us get a bus, we spoke to them and asked them about the places we need to go, they were very helpful and took us to where we could get a bus to the Monserrate where most of the places were located. While speaking to them we found out that the gentleman is a tour guide that had a day off. We got off the bus, our start money spent with not enough to get home, but full of confidence that the Lord will provide. One of the items was to get to the top of the Monserrate mountain to the cathedral there, we walked the rest of the way there and an english speaking student helped us along the way and told us the different ways to get on top (walk for 1h up or take the expensive cable car) Since Luiza was a feeling a bit ill we decided to ask at the ticket counter if they can let us go up for free and if not we would just not do the item since we will not make the walk up and down and the time it would take. When we asked at the counter and explained that we are in an amazing race event they would not let us go for free, but they said no. Some of the people there heard and just gave us money, the security guard joined in asking and directing people to us and in no time we had enough money to pay for the ticket up. While we waited the people before us started speaking to us in english, it was the police commissioner of the district and his aid. They went through our to do list and told us what of them we could do on top. They then sponsored us for the tea and the ants we had to eat, yes ants, “big ass ants” as the lady described it. They also pointed us to where we could find one more of the food items, when we got to the stall and asked the lady if we could just have a taste and take a photo since we were in a Amazing race type event she said yes and asked what other foodstuff is on the list, she then gave us full portions of 4 of the remaining 5 foodstuffs on our list for free. The view was really beautiful from the top and we had a great time up there. We walked down the mountain, since we did not have enough money to take the cable car down and then walked to the fountain of Quevedo, the place where the city of Bogota was birthed. The walk there and to the Torra Colpatria (the tallest building in Bogota) took us through the old, interesting, colourful and beautiful neighbourhoods round the university and Monserrate. From there we went to the central park in an taxi, since time was running out and we had some left over money, we got to the park only to find out it is closed, from there we went home and got there 30min before the cut off time for the challange with most of the items on our list ticked. We were the first team back and in the next 40 min we all were together again and sharing stories of our exciting days. It was so good. Time in Bogota
The day after the challenge was free time, there was a team vote and we went to the gold museum in the morning, the start if the museum was very interesting to see how the old Hispanic cultures mined and worked the gold and other metals, the pieces were also beautiful and interesting, but as we went further we saw more and more the uses of the gold jewellery and pieces and the meanings behind it of rituals and human sacrifice and spirit worship, vampire transformations and drug use it became an eye opener what most of the symbols meant. After that we went to Anna's grandmother (Anna is a girl from Bogota that we met and got to know at the base in Fuza and she was touring us the city) for lunch that went on late, we had a walk through some interesting places to where we could catch a bus and from there to were we stay, along the way we went out in groups to eat. Wednesday morning we went back to a market in the central city with the plan to be back at lunch time and start debrief, but plans changed when there and we split into groups with everyone to be back at home at 3pm. When the first 2 groups got home we realised that we slightly misplaced our first person for the journey so then followed a mad rush back to the marked to find the Jansie, but it was not needed since Jansie used her head and got back just after 3 all save and sound. Thursday (25 Apr) will be spent in debrief and then we hop onto and bus at 8pm to our next destination.
Next stop Venezuela??
Our next stop on the journey was suppose to be Venezuela, but since they are in almost civil war state after their election after the death of Chaves both contacts we had that we could go to in Venezuela strongly advised us not to go there, so we are now going to Santa Martha in the north of Columbia, and from there we need to get to Guyana where our plane leaves from mid May, only problem is that Venezuela is right in the middle, should be fun.
My time
My last week in Fuza was interesting, God really came and spoke to me on a few things including a very difficult and hard word for the team. The whole Venezuela situation of “are we going, are we not going, is the borders still closed or open and what should our next step be” was also there for us as a leadership team during the last week. It was a lot of different things to keep track of, but interesting to see how God speaks and shaped us in the different situations. Time in Bogota was good, I really enjoyed the challenge (and not because we won), but the last 2 days, free time was not free and I ended up feeling very constricted and not having time to debrief and process. Over all I must say that I like Bogota and also the Columbian people, they are very friendly, open and helpful most of the time.
F
A2G2 the title of this blog is just for you
Comments
Hey dude! Soos altyd geniet ek om te lees wat julle doen! Geluk met julle eerste challenge! Hoop nie julle misplaas weer mense nie!