Our journey from Belfast to Yerevan the capital of Armenia consisted of 3 flights and we were fortunate there were no delays. We arrived in Yerevan at 4.30 in the morning where it had already reached 25oC. After a 2 hour wait in the airport we were driven to the village where we would be staying called Nor Gekhi. We had an ample breakfast and then a much needed nap for the sleep-deprived team.

During our first weekend there we took it quite easy. We were shown round the country a little and given time to acclimatise, meet people and settle in. The building site where we would be working was situated about 2 miles outside Nor Gekhi. It was here we got involved and helped in the construction. This included digging trenches and lifting breezeblocks for the builders. Although this work was physically demanding and in temperatures we weren’t accustomed to, we worked well as a team and it was satisfying to see the progress that we made.

The construction work was the focal point of our trip before we went out but we got involved in a lot else besides. We helped out with local prayer meetings in churches and got to know the local people and their culture. Wherever we went we experienced brilliant hospitality and were humbled by the attitude of those who looked after us. The food we received and our accommodation surpassed all our initial expectations.

As a team we all had a brilliant time and got on really well together. We also learnt a lot from the Armenians and their simple lifestyles and their strong faith. We just hoped that we did make a difference to some of the people we met while we were away and encouraged them.