Leaving Eidsvold...

We are half way through our trip and it has been momentous! In some ways it feels like we have been away a couple of weeks, the diversity of events and experiences has made the trip feel voluminous. The Big Lifts main focus is is somewhat difficult to pin down. We are seeing new places, playing games, swimming and eating like we are on holidays and on the other hand we are working on multiple projects with the vigour of a seasonal outdoor worker and offering our services for free. We are also meeting people in rural communities, children, leaders and elders which envelops a rich cultural exchange. And we are participating in group activities that range from pure playful fun to much more reflective. So how can I summarise THIS?? It is certainly an ‘experience’. Imagine all the stories that we will have at the conclusion of this week…

For me, Eidsvold was all about gardening. Our team did a ‘backyard blitz’ on the town’s youth centre (which had been out of action for a while). I absolutely love gardening and this was the perfect project. We put in garden beds, planted flowers, shrubs and fruit trees, mowed and whipper snipped, pruned the trees, reduced fire hazard materials and fixed a fence! Our team collaborated, utilising all the skills on hand to accomplish a project that we could be proud of. Eight of us worked for 7 hours the first day and four-and-a-half people for about 4 hours the second day, a total of 76 hours. Charmaine is one of the youth workers and advocates and she organised and oversaw our project. She made sure that we always had ample supplies to keep us going and endless ice cold water (it was very hot!!!). Bonnie (?) cooked us a BBQ on the first day and she is another youth worker.

Eidsvold is such a cute town, there is such a wonderful ‘cared for’ and country vibe. We were so warmly welcomed and escorted through our whole time in Eidsvold by all the friendly locals and were invited back with plans for much bigger things in the future.