Well, the EVE team has finally made it to the Middle East! After three flights and over 25 hours of travel, our host was waiting at the airport to welcome us. We met our driver, got our luggage loaded up, and headed to a beautiful hotel that the team will call home for the next two weeks.
Once settled, we all sat down and feasted on some delicious local platters of lamb, chicken, and other regional dishes. Then it was straight to bed—we were exhausted!
The next morning, after a great night’s sleep, we headed out with our hosts to visit the one of the centre’s and join the participants for their drop-in free time. It was such a pleasant surprise to walk in and see the amazing structure that the EVE team helped to fund. It was much larger than we imagined and not only provided shade, but also covered all the buildings in the centre. Our host explained that it helps keep things cool in the heat and protects from rain, which has led to fewer leaks in the buildings.
We spent about two and a half hours getting to know the centre and the women who attend. It was a perfect ice-breaker day—just meeting, introducing ourselves, laughing, and having fun. The women even taught us a few traditional dances they perform during celebrations. The time flew by, and we’re already looking forward to going back on Wednesday.
Later, we had a lovely meal followed by some much-needed downtime (and naps!). To end our evening, we attended a church service where we finally met the lead pastor and his wife of the local church spearheading the great work in the area. It was so nice to put faces to the names we’ve heard so much about.
During our evening debrief, the team was definitely feeling the effects of jet lag, but also energized by the incredible day we’d just had.
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