Africa: Week 5

This week hasn't been horrible or anything--we are still really glad we are here, but it has been a little harder. The boys have been a bit out of sorts and Levi, especially has been testing some boundaries, which has been a bit exhausting. I keep thinking, "I thought we were past this." I think a lot of it is just being exhausted. It's very hot, and just being around so many people all of the time can be a little tiring, even if they are wonderful people. And maybe more so for Levi, since he is more of an introvert. We have had a lot of sweet moments too. It certainly hasn't been all bad. This week, he and Max changed the lyrics to the classic Sunday school song "Deep and Wide." They've been singing, "Beans and rice, beans and rice, there's a fountain flowing beans and rice..." and have been getting a lot of positive attention in the process :)

It's been a little hard to keep sickness at bay since we have only had running water for an hour or two each day. I use sanitizing wipes all of the time and bathe the kids in buckets outside every day, but still it seems one of us usually has a mild case of diarrhea. I heat water in an electric kettle, so the kids actually get to take nice warm baths. I find myself looking at the buckets and wishing I was a bit smaller :)

Max has made friends with the security guards and this morning, he was borrowing a black stick they carry around so that he could be, "Baseball man." Max is also in love with a 29 year old ski instructor from Switzerland named "Tina." During class, he nearly always goes to the front of the class and shouts, "Tina, where are you?" And then she sweetly holds him in her lap and colors pictures with him until he's ready to come find me again. Yesterday Max said to me, "I'm not cute mommy. I'm a big, strong man."

This week our house was matched (encouraged to form relationships) with a specific dorm at the children's center. They don't call it an orphanage because they emphasize to the kids that God is their Father. Last night we got to go eat and play with those specific children, some of which I already knew from giving medications on Sundays. We got paired eighteen 4-7 year old boys. They are really fun and sweet kids. There is even a little "Zachary" (zach-ar-eee) we are getting to know :)

Also, this week there was a huge fire that we could see from our house. We had to fill up all of our buckets of water to help put the fire out. The fire destroyed another ministry's orphanage for disabled children, but all of the children were safely moved to another location. Here at the Iris base, we are trying to put together a fund-raiser to help give the other ministry money to help rebuild...perhaps a pancake breakfast or something. I was really scared and could see and hear the fire cracking and popping from where we live. It was very close.

Tomorrow is our house mom, Cindy's birthday, so the whole house will go out to dinner to celebrate. That should be fun. We've has some more great speakers this week, and are making good friends here, but we do miss home and all of our friends and family. Speaking of friends and family, I called my mom last week and I was so surprised to find out that my brother Ben and his wife remarried this month. That is a HUGE miracle! Many blessings Ben and Samantha!! What a testimony you two will have! We couldn't be happier.

Thank you for all of the prayers and support. We are blessed!

Love from Mozambique,

Kate