Thankful.

Thankful. (Tuesday and Wednesday)

We got into town on Tuesday morning and slept/hung out most of the day on Tuesday.

The first time I met any of the kids, I felt like that new kid on the playground that just wants to know everyone and play around, but is terrified to make that first move.

What if they don’t like me?

What if they think I’m weird?

But not to worry! Within seconds after Justin introduced me, I had many hands to hold and kids to smile at. They all speak English, but I tend to talk to fast and pronounce things different, so it is hard for some of them to understand me when I speak. But love doesn’t know a language. It was enough to smile at them and hold their hands and be with them. To let them know they are incredible and loved and a child of God. Because they are precious.

Then Wednesday hit. I was awoken at 4am to the sound of a rooster. I went back to sleep for two hours before the sound of children woke me up.

I got up, showered and got dressed. I didn’t feel very good, but I assumed it was just jet lag.

I ate breakfast and then Justin and I got ready to “go to the internet,” or walk down to the internet café. It is about a 25 minute walk into town from the orphanage. Emmanuel went with us and told us stories on the way there. He is a very wise man. On the way down, I was feeling slightly nauseous, but ok. We got to the internet café and started answering emails and updating blogs. We were about 40 minutes into it when the power shut off.

The power does that here.

Often.

And sometimes it happens when it is terribly inconvenient. Like during devotional at night. When someone is reading the Bible.

We left the internet café and started walking around town looking for spoons and honey. I really felt nauseous at this point. So bad, that Justin offered to carry me back. We left immediately for the orphanage. When we got back I slept and took some medicine. I felt terrible. Like my stomach and all of its contents wanted to jump out of my body. Dale, one of our team members who is an RN, looked at me. He told me to start medicine and rest. I didn’t eat lunch because I felt too sick.

I emerged from my room around dinner time. The team prayed over me before dinner and I ate a little bit. Dale walked me over to the clinic where he and one of the nurses, Emelda, asked me a bunch of questions about how I felt. They thought I would be fine after I slept. Then they prayed over me before I left. The kids were asking about me, and Justin told them I was sick. A lot of them offered to pray for me. What a sweet thing!

The next morning I felt a lot better. Dale said it was probably food poisoning. Yuck, but I’m thankful it wasn’t anything worse! I am also thankful for everyone who prayed for me to get better