"School Camp"

Every year the Academy Junior High and High school parents send their precious ones off into deepest, darkest Africa for the time of their lives at retreat. Whatever thoughts you have of a "school camp", ditch those and replace them with anti-malarials, malaria nets, bugs the size of your hand, plantains, rice, four wheel driving into lush jungle, djembes (drums) and water in a bag. You still have excited kids but the parents are quaking in their boots just a little more! This is no ordinary adventure..... above Academy principle Mr Calvert ties down the luggage on top of the land rover against the backdrop of the rising African sun and the coils of razor wire that line our berth.

Ready for the four hour trip upcountry to Kindia, Guinea at the Mercy Ships Agricultural Site with the djembe parked between them; Abby, Kylie, Jessica and teacher Mrs Robinson.

And they are off....

The landies doing what they are made for on the way to Kindia.

How to wear out a bunch of teenagers....take them on a three hour hike through the jungle. Yep, that'll do it!

Jessica with her best happy face helping the agricultural team pick the berries.

Ready to get dirty? Helping to plant some plants

Some of the kids standing proudly over their work with the ag guys.

Some of the high school girls are quite into photography and they captured Jess in such a fun way.

 

Kindia Falls, Jess and friends Abby and Kylie

Africa Mercy Junior High and High School. These kids are tough. They eat malaria pills for breakfast and dirt for dinner. They miss out on Christmas presents, McDonalds, grandparents and iphones. They have seen, heard and face things that most Western kids their age never have and never will.These kids have had their lives changed and will take away the most amazing experiences and a little piece of Africa will be with them forever.