Journal Entries / Italy 2011- July 26-27
Here I am! Sitting in a Courtyard at a small, one roomed, restaurant style church in Aquaviva, Italy (this name translates to Living Water) The past 48 hours have been incredibly rough for me. I have been dizzy, faint, and sick to my stomach due to lack of sleep. As I write this my eyes are flickering in and out as I can barely stand consciousness. Contentment continues to be my prayer, but I need a miracle to have the strength to make it throughout the day. I truly wish I had more to elaborate on, but I am just sooooo weak and weary. Forgive me...
Well wait, actually let me tell you about Italians! Their land is absolutely stunning! Mountains on all sides and now we border the sea. However it seems as if what we have seen is a ghetto... It's kind of a run down shoreside village. I'm not complaining about it, but it does feel more in touch with the missions perspective.
Anyway the people we're staying with are wonderful! Their English is broken as is our Italian, but they are so sweet, kind, and playful. I love them. Anyway, besidea that, they have fed us well and done good for us by providing a floor to which we may sleep upon. I just wish I could sleep right now. I fear fainting... I need to trust God and have faith that He will see me through and impart on me an anointing of strength, power, and love. One day at a time. For Ihave learned, am learning, that in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
-Ryan Jackson
(Afterthoughts)
This was the first morning in Italy after travelling about 30 hours without sleeping. The bus/plane/bus rides were not anything I wished to reflect on, but now I choose to look back. The busride to Houston was a 4 hour ride from which we departed around 7am. Upon arrival at the airport, it was a nonstop haul of 45 people and their baggage until just arriving at our gates at an hour before boarding. Upon our transatlantic flight, I found no rest as I was reseated so that I would not be sleeping next to another female of my team. Instead I was relocated next to a large, yet friendly, yet standoffish Hindi man. He spoke no english and was a slightly hard to communicate with. We both tried to sleep, however we found none, being sat directly in front of the toilets. We startled and jumped each time someone flushed the toilet (every 5 minutes), directly behind our heads. After our 9 hour flight into france, our feet hit the ground and it was an all out sprint with about 80-90 pounds of gear on our backs, through Paris international. We filtered 45 people through customs and through security all within about an hour and a half. As we boarded our flight to rome with about 20 seconds to spare, I still wasn't able to rest. The flight from Paris to Rome was beautiful! I spent the 2 hour flight gazing down at snow capped peaks which I believed to be the Alps, as they gave way into a blue sea. I didn't know where I was, but it was beautiful.
Fatigue didn't hit me until we landed. At that point if I closed my eyes I would slip off into unconsciousness as well as motion sickness. Nausea set in, as well as the sudden urge to explode. I needed to find a bathroom... Unfortunately, we weren't to use a bathroom until we had our bags. So I held in what I thought would inevitably come out, and from there, remained sick for the rest of the day...
After finally getting our bags and getting through customs, we boarded our buses at Rome. The first thing that happened was we almost got hit by cars. I don't ever want to hear anything about road rage in America ever again! I'm not quite sure if there are any traffic laws in europe and if there are, there is certainly nobody enforcing them...
After our brisk with death out front the Roman airport, we hopped on board a bus for a 6 hour long journey, where upon boarding I immediatley had to use the restroom. Unfortunately we wouldn't stop for hours, so instead of enjoying the scenescape of the Italian countryside, I spent most of the trip doubled over in pain. We all tried to find time for rest, but each time we dozed off we were spurred to fight the jetlag by our project directors. We were told to write out testimonies, and stay awake if we could. After writing an 8 page testimony, that none of my team leaders could read, I passed out...
We arrived in Italy, ready for bed... Instead we arrived to a huge dinner... They served us homemade Pasta, Italian pizza, and 8 pounds of watermelon each... After our journey, eating was the last thing I wanted to do. Especially eating of that caliber. And as not finishing your plate was deemed disrespectful we all did our best. Finally after a few hours, we were granted sleep. To which I slept the night through! Welcome to Italy...
Well wait, actually let me tell you about Italians! Their land is absolutely stunning! Mountains on all sides and now we border the sea. However it seems as if what we have seen is a ghetto... It's kind of a run down shoreside village. I'm not complaining about it, but it does feel more in touch with the missions perspective.
Anyway the people we're staying with are wonderful! Their English is broken as is our Italian, but they are so sweet, kind, and playful. I love them. Anyway, besidea that, they have fed us well and done good for us by providing a floor to which we may sleep upon. I just wish I could sleep right now. I fear fainting... I need to trust God and have faith that He will see me through and impart on me an anointing of strength, power, and love. One day at a time. For I
-Ryan Jackson
(Afterthoughts)
This was the first morning in Italy after travelling about 30 hours without sleeping. The bus/plane/bus rides were not anything I wished to reflect on, but now I choose to look back. The busride to Houston was a 4 hour ride from which we departed around 7am. Upon arrival at the airport, it was a nonstop haul of 45 people and their baggage until just arriving at our gates at an hour before boarding. Upon our transatlantic flight, I found no rest as I was reseated so that I would not be sleeping next to another female of my team. Instead I was relocated next to a large, yet friendly, yet standoffish Hindi man. He spoke no english and was a slightly hard to communicate with. We both tried to sleep, however we found none, being sat directly in front of the toilets. We startled and jumped each time someone flushed the toilet (every 5 minutes), directly behind our heads. After our 9 hour flight into france, our feet hit the ground and it was an all out sprint with about 80-90 pounds of gear on our backs, through Paris international. We filtered 45 people through customs and through security all within about an hour and a half. As we boarded our flight to rome with about 20 seconds to spare, I still wasn't able to rest. The flight from Paris to Rome was beautiful! I spent the 2 hour flight gazing down at snow capped peaks which I believed to be the Alps, as they gave way into a blue sea. I didn't know where I was, but it was beautiful.
Fatigue didn't hit me until we landed. At that point if I closed my eyes I would slip off into unconsciousness as well as motion sickness. Nausea set in, as well as the sudden urge to explode. I needed to find a bathroom... Unfortunately, we weren't to use a bathroom until we had our bags. So I held in what I thought would inevitably come out, and from there, remained sick for the rest of the day...
After finally getting our bags and getting through customs, we boarded our buses at Rome. The first thing that happened was we almost got hit by cars. I don't ever want to hear anything about road rage in America ever again! I'm not quite sure if there are any traffic laws in europe and if there are, there is certainly nobody enforcing them...
After our brisk with death out front the Roman airport, we hopped on board a bus for a 6 hour long journey, where upon boarding I immediatley had to use the restroom. Unfortunately we wouldn't stop for hours, so instead of enjoying the scenescape of the Italian countryside, I spent most of the trip doubled over in pain. We all tried to find time for rest, but each time we dozed off we were spurred to fight the jetlag by our project directors. We were told to write out testimonies, and stay awake if we could. After writing an 8 page testimony, that none of my team leaders could read, I passed out...
We arrived in Italy, ready for bed... Instead we arrived to a huge dinner... They served us homemade Pasta, Italian pizza, and 8 pounds of watermelon each... After our journey, eating was the last thing I wanted to do. Especially eating of that caliber. And as not finishing your plate was deemed disrespectful we all did our best. Finally after a few hours, we were granted sleep. To which I slept the night through! Welcome to Italy...
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| Outside of Roman Airport |
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| Bus... |
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| Welcome Dinner |
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| Quiet Time @ Aquaviva |
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