Cia's First YIM Experience by Gracia Jonathan

YIM

graciajonathan1234 — 2024-09-26 01:17:43 UTC

YIM (Youth In Mission) is an UPHC student program focused on service, aiming to share God's grace. Students choose between two options: the Mission Trip, outside Tangerang, where logistics are arranged, or the Personal Mission, within JABODETABEK, which they plan themselves. The service lasts around a week, from September 16-20. For this year I choose to go to Mission Trip, Sumba. This year, I chose to join the Mission Trip to Sumba, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Departure ✈️

graciajonathan1234 — 2024-09-26 08:21:34 UTC

The beginning of our Mission Trip started around midnight, with my half-asleep Sumba group leaving at 2 AM. The atmosphere filled with excitement, exhaustion, and nervousness as we boarded the plane for our 4-hour flight to our first stop at Kupang. I hardly noticed the time passing; as soon as I settled into my seat, I started chatting with those around me. We joked and shared stories, turning that quiet flight into a mini-bonding session that brought us all closer before we landed.

Morning in Kupang 🏝️

graciajonathan1234 — 2024-09-26 11:34:27 UTC

The next thing I knew, we had landed in Kupang at 6 AM. My whole body felt sore, but we had to wait until 8 AM as the bus was still dropping off other groups. Exhausted, everyone sprawled out in the airport, catching some sleep while grabbing the breakfasts that Pak Frankie had kindly prepared. By 8 AM, we finally set off to a beach in Kupang, where we spent time taking pictures and bonding even more with one another. After a fun morning, we had lunch by the beach, then headed back to the airport, ready for our next flight to Sumba!

The Afternoon 🌥️

graciajonathan1234 — 2024-09-26 11:50:13 UTC

The afternoon took an unexpected turn with a 3-hour delay at the airport, so we didn’t arrive in Sumba until 5:30 PM. On the bright side, I got to experience flying in an old-fashioned plane for the first time, though I have to admit, I was pretty anxious about it! Thankfully, we landed safely and headed straight to take our things.

First Night in Sumba 🌃

graciajonathan1234 — 2024-09-26 12:07:57 UTC

Finally, as the day came to a close, we gathered for our last meal—dinner! To my delight, it was far better than lunch and breakfast, leaving me feeling fully satisfied. Afterward, we headed to our hotel, settled in, unpacked, took much-needed baths, and went straight to bed as a new day was ahead of us!

Conclusion! 🎉

graciajonathan1234 — 2024-09-26 13:48:57 UTC

In conclusion, the journey to Sumba was incredibly memorable. It was filled with so much fun, and I got to try new things I never would have experienced if I hadn’t made this trip. I savored every single moment of the day, and even though I was exhausted, I pushed through, and it turned out to be an incredible day full of laughter, adventure, and memories I’ll cherish forever!