The trio had only two weeks to prepare for the week-long trip, giving them little time to get their passports and immunisation in order. They are looking forward to using their time overseas to help in any way they can, even if it just means giving the kids some longed-for attention.

“I’ve heard from others who’ve gone over before us that you can spend seven hours when you first arrive just playing with the kids because they don’t want to let you go,” Mitch said.

This experience is a new one for the young trainees who have ministered help where needed within Australia but have not been called overseas before.

“It will definitely be an experience of a lifetime,” Bekky said.

“But it is going to be heartbreaking to see all those kids living the way they do and then have to leave them after only five days.”

Tuesday saw the final part of their preparations taking place with inoculations for typhoid, hepatitis and polio and malaria immunisation pills to be taken before, during and after their week away.

“There is no electricity or running water over there so we even have to take our own water because, while the people who live there would have built up immunity to their water, we would probably get very sick,” Mitch said.

The trainees return to Griffith on Friday, June 6.