Surprise!

I am constantly reminded of how we now have 5 children, and another on the way, soon to be an official family of 6. The level of noise, the constant giggling, playing and the amount of food that goes in & out of the kitchen is a clear reminder of how we are indeed growing. And, we feel so blessed to have the titles of Papa and Mama.  

Lina & Fatima ready for their first day of school!

Our three girls (Lina, Fatima, & Marieta) have been with us for just two months, and have adjusted very well. ALL of our girls are finally in school, after begging a teacher at the local school to accept them into her class. Our girls have NEVER been to school so it has been a whole new experience for each of them.

They left the house on their very first day of school in their new uniforms, a light blue top with a dark blue skirt & leggings. The pride in their shoulders & the smiles spread across their faces told us that school was exactly where these smart girls belong. They are learning so much, and we're thankful we had a little time with them at home to teach them the basic letters & numbers.

The girls also received the SURPRISE of a lifetime on Saturday. Several ladies from their former village, Nantira-Mogovola District, came to visit and check in with us. These women are not related to the children but many are from the same tribe and often helped to care for the girls before we met them.

We decided not to tell the girls they would have visitors, in case they were unable to make it or had trouble getting to the city. When they arrived, the door opened, the girls peaked around the corner of the living room into the entry way, and they all jumped & attacked our unknowing visitors.

The girls leapt into the arms of the women they hadn't seen for several months. They were so excited to see someone familiar and remember a bit of home. The girls were eager to share with their visitors, chatting about school and showing off their uniforms & notebooks and other school supplies.

Lina was the most talkative, showing off to a woman she considers to be like her grandma. Fatima & Marieta also wanted to show off their school uniform, but neither of them like to be in the spotlight like Lina!

We were able to enjoy breakfast & tea together, we prayed and looked at pictures from our visit in April to Nantira, when we first met the girls. There are about 25 children in that area who have been orphaned by at least one parent, and several more who have lost both, so were updated on the status of several children who are not doing well.

Our visitors from Nantira with Fatima, Marieta, Lina & Jadon

One little girl, about the same age as Fatima, is severely malnourished and her health continues to get worse. We are praying to be able to visit Nantira again soon, possibly in August. Our friend, Antonio, who introduced us to his friends & pastors in that area, travels several times per month to Nantira to check on the church members and orphans. If the girl isn't responding to the treatments we've sent her, Antonio may bring her back with him.

[SIDE NOTE: This is the exact reason that having a solid 4x4 is so important for this work. We need to be able to travel to rural areas where the road conditions can be extremely bad. There are many churches & communities we would like to work with; unfortunately, we are unable to do so at this time because our little truck just wouldn't make it!]

After a fun morning with our visitors, we saw them off and were reminded of the community that loves these children. While these woman are not able to care for these children now, they may be able to in the future, or at least continue to mentor them as they grow.

These kiddos are extremely loved and cared for, and not just by us. Imagine a whole community coming together to make sure these 3 women could afford to make it to the city, check on these girls, and bring an offering of amendoim - peanuts - to say thank you.

All of the kids seem to be in better spirits this week, encouraged by the visitors we received, and excited about life in general. Lina can have a bit of an attitude at times, but she seems more at peace and more laid back. Fatima usually follows what Lina does, and she is far more reserved than any child in the house. She is calm and gentle, but has really come out of her shell since starting school. Ali just continues to go with the flow - he's always smiling and always happy!

I start my journey to the States on Friday, which I know will be a big change for all of the kids. Praying for peace for them, and sanity for Phil as he takes on the challenge of being Mom, Dad, and everything in-between. If you think of them, please pray for business to continue as usual, and for the kids to adjust well to the changes.

Can't wait to get this show on the road! Hope to see many of you while I'm in the States for a fast & furious trip.