8 Photos from 2008

The Train to Cuamba

If anyone is interested in reading my perspective of the train experience here I can email you a copy of my 11-page letter about it.

Mena and Me

Mena is the youngest child at the orfanato. She came here at age one and is now four-years-old. She is probably the one who spends the most time with me. She helps me cook, has cinnamon toast and tea with me on the porch, takes naps with me (and Simba) outside in the shade on a little bamboo mat when it’s too hot, and sits next to me in church. Mena is one of the funniest kids because she often says things you would expect to hear from an old lady, not a three or four year old. Everyone loves entertaining each other with stories of things Mena says. Yesterday I gave her a piece of bread and after taking a bite, in a very stern tone of voice, she said, “Mana Christina, this bread is dry.” (This might be a normal thing for an American child to say, but you will never find a child here who will say something like this.) I told Victor and he said at least it shows that she is used to eating fresh bread here.

Anamuculama Jumping

Last year we took the staff to Nacala, a port city on the coast, 200 kilometers from here. It was SO fun. Most of those with us had never seen the ocean before and were able to play in water for the first time. We are hoping to take the whole orphanage to Nacala next year. There might be only one or two kids who have ever seen the water before.

Victor Before Church

This is our little church which is about a mile down the road from the orphanage. It's made out of mud and has a grass roof which is SO nice for staying cool in the heat.

A Door of No Return

Some people only learn about West Africa when they study the history of slavery. But East Africa had the same horrific story. Here is the Door of No Return on Mozambique Island, the last door that mostly Macua people stepped through on the African continent before being forced onto ships headed first to Arabia (before the Portuguese) and then to Brazil (after the Portuguese). For me, there is a lot to think about when I look at this photo.

Me and Victor

Nampula is surrounded by huge dramatic rock formations that are unique and beautiful. Whenever I see this picture it reminds me of this day – I saw these rocks, I saw pineapples growing for the first time, we had ice cream at a little Portuguese restaurant, and we drove home on the bumpy red dirt roads in a huge rainstorm.

Victor and Mia

I loved playing with my little niece Mia this summer and I loved seeing her playing with Victor. Every time she would find me alone, she would immediately demand, “Where’s Dictor?!!!” I can’t wait to have Mia here playing and dancing with the kids and singing in the children’s choir in church! The kids have heard me talking to her on the phone and now whenever they see a picture of her they all say, “Mia!!!”

Mama Maria

Mama Maria is one of our cooks and she lives in a little house on the orphanage property. She is fun and funny and is like a grandma for all the kids. Her personality makes everyone happy no matter what. She grew up in a remote village where people were still wearing clothes woven from tree bark when she was little. Her husband died when her only daughter was still a baby. Today her daughter, Estalinda, is married to Victor's brother Charles. I love this picture of Mama Maria wearing the dress that Trish sent her.

Atija

There are many Macua games that only girls play and this is one of them (it’s fun to watch what happens when a male tries to join in). It was really entertaining watching Jenni play games with the girls because she always got SO into it and would be screaming and laughing the whole time, which made it SO fun for everyone.

The Road to Our Property

Daily life here is quiet. When you first come here from a fast-pace place it takes a while to get accustomed to it. But once you do you will find great enjoyment in little things that would go unnoticed somewhere else. I love watching the kids play.

Going Home

All the chapas (mini-bus public tranportation) stop running when it gets dark, which is around 6pm during the lightest part of the year. If you don't have a car (or it's not working) and you need to go somewhere (without walking the whole way), you have to be REALLY creative and willing to ride in almost anything. This was riding home with all the kids from the recording studio in the back of a truck that I thought might collapse any minute. Apparently I am the only one who is scared of standing in a speeding truck on half paved, half dirt roads with ten billion pot-holes in the dark with no street lights because everyone made fun of me for wanting to sit down. But now I'm glad because I like this picture.

(Sorry for the misleading title to this post. Half the pictures are from 2007 and there are more than 8 of them but I just really wanted to write that title.)

Christmas Day! Feliz Natal!

Christmas Day at the orfanato was PERFECT.

The day began with baloney and egg sandwiches, french fries, and apples for breakfast.

Victor, Alzira, Santos, Helder, and Adini in the kitchen.

Claudia cooking.

The weather was very hot but we were thrilled that it did not rain. We set up tables, chairs, and bamboo mats under a huge cashew tree, our current dining hall when it's not raining.

Simba patrolling for food during breakfast.

After breakfast all the little boys (whose clothes have worn down to almost nothing from playing) got new shirts and shorts that people sent from America. Look how handsome they are now!

Manuel, Samito, Mauricio, Canito, Belson, and Dionisio in their new clothes.

Next was Capture the Flag and it was SO fun. None of the kids had ever heard of a game like this before but all were able to understand the rules easily (unlike when I tried to do baseball last year and couldn't stop people from returning to bases they had already passed). We made a border across the whole property with little stones and the kids decided that one side was Mozambique and the other was Congo. I think this is the best Capture the Flag group possible. The thrill and enthusiasm that comes from the kids here is so energizing. Even Mama Maria played and chased and caught people. I think this was the most fun spectator experience I've ever had. Victor has malaria so he couldn't play but was laughing as he watched the entire time. Though everyone has shoes now, most still prefer to play soccer and other running games barefoot, so there were tons of feridas ("wounds," another one of my favorite Portuguese words) happening but no crying. All the ones with feridas were the ones who didn't want the game to end the most. I can not WAIT to play this again.

After Capture the flag most kids were too tired to go on, but some continued playing other games that I'm not going to attempt to explain. I'll just say they were fun and funny as well.

Back, Knee, Foot Game.Macua game involving bridges, singing, and carrying people shorter than you.

Finally it was time to eat dinner. We had chicken, rice, a gourmet salad created by Victor (that included Italian salami, feta cheese, and three kinds of beans nobody here had ever eaten before), french fries, and refrescos (soft drinks). All the food was REALLY good.

Rock, Carlitos, and Ruben.

Clara, Minoca, Leonora, Silas, and Tercia.

Victor's siblings: Estefano, Miqueias, and Carmina. Simba patrolling for fallen food again.

Ofeita, Belson, and Isac Pequeno.

Victor's parents went to Cuamba to visit his oldest sister Madalena for Christmas but all the other brothers and sisters, nieces, and some cousins were able to come to the orfanato. Estefano traveled from Pemba in Cabo Delgado Province, Carmina traveled from somewhere in the jungle a few hours from here where she has been working for an NGO, Heliane came from Niassa Province where she has been working this year, and Miqueias from Nacala where he is in his last year of agriculture school.

Sisters, Cousins, and Nieces: Laura, Carmina, Artimiza, Estalinda, and Heliane; Front: Milena, Vana, and Amelia.

Victor's Family: Estalinda, Laura, Charles, Artimiza, Victor, Carmina, Estefano, Miqueias, and Heliane; Front: Amelia, Milena, and Vana

Finally it was time for presents!

Kids lined up, waiting to receive gifts.

This year we received amazing gifts for the kids. The church in Utah compiled cards, letters, and presents for everyone and sent it all in big boxes. We were also able to add things from South Carolina, Seattle and a few other places as well. And every single child got a GREAT present. I don't even know how to explain what it was like when the kids opened them but I have honestly never seen anything like it. I knew the kids would be excited but their reactions were so far beyond that. It was like pure jubilation.

Kids opening presents.

The kids really went CRAZY over their presents. Everyone was screaming and clapping and jumping up and down and ripping everything open and then exclaiming huge joy over whatever they found. Even though they have had stickers and candy before it was like this was the first time.Many kids brought their cards and letters to ask what they said and after reading several and seeing how the kids were listening so intently and smiling I started even getting really emotional - a card or letter would say something like "welcome to our family" or "we have your picture and are praying for you." To read this and then look at the child's face and see how meaningful and what a big deal this is to him or her -I can't really describe this but all the kids, since they have ended up living in an orphanage, have obvioulsy come from some kind of tragedy and place where they did not have someone able to care for them. So when you see them listen to a letter where a family is saying, "we are praying for YOU" - it's just really big. I just wish all those who have written to the kids, not just this Christmas but ever - if you could see what a big deal it is - it's really a big deal. The other thing that was so funny - one child asked if "this" was to eat, about to put a big chunk of playdough in his mouth. We were like, "No! Not this one!" Everyone thought it was really funny. After that we saw all the kids scrambling to bring all their candy to find out if it's "to eat." Little Caneto ran full speed to his bag and then returned as fast as he could, out of breath, with a little pixie stix in his hand, demanding excitedly, "What is it?!!!" I said it was to eat and he was jubilant all over again, ripping it open and running off. He reappeared a minute later with all these nerds (the candy) in his palms, out of breath again, asking if it's to eat, as if he would collapse if he didn't get an answer soon enough because he couldn't wait another second to find out. Another kid came with pez candy and another with tic-tacs. The girls remembered they had learned about tic-tacs from Ashlie and were happy to "see them again." I don't think I ever really realized how exciting American candy is! It's like toys and candy at the same time.

The day finally ended with an orfanato picture slide show and a huge cake made by Janete.Thank you so much everyone who made this Christmas Day possible for us. We had SO much fun. Thank you so much for all the gifts and letters you sent, as well as the financial support that made it possible to have a huge feast today with special food! Not just this month but all year - every single thing that is received here is greatly, greatly appreciated and makes ALL the difference. Thank you. God Bless you. And Feliz Natal! (Portuguese for Merry Christmas!)

Christmas Party

On Tuesday we had our Christmas ornament and cookie making party. Last year (and the year before) Jenni and Corey brought the party to the orphanage. This year they (and their whole church) sent the party in the mail! We received four big boxes with enough construction paper, colored markers, glitter, powdered sugar, cookie cutters, and sprinkles for the kids to make all the ornaments and cookies they wanted. AND we have enough left-overs to decorate a cake for Christmas and make more cookies and crafts afterwards! The kids all made ornaments with their pictures (Jenni’s idea) that look so beautiful, and other creations (even a spaceship ornament – and I have no idea how one of the little boys found out about spaceships). Of course the cookies were a huge hit. On Monday a little team of kids baked them and at the party each child decorated several cookies with bright colored frosting and sprinkles. They LOVED the cookies. The kids even decorated a few left over scraps with pink frosting for Simba who had been waiting patiently under the table the whole time. A few of our missionary family friends (the Rogers and the Kerns) came and helped too, which the kids always like! In the boxes from the U.S. we also received little presents for each child from Utah and Seattle, which will be SO fun to give the kids on Christmas Day! Thanks everyone for giving us a great party!

Recording a CD

The BEST thing is happening here. We got a little bit of funding for music and AMAZINGLY it covers the cost to record one CD here in Nampula! AND we have now started recording!

About three weeks ago at 3pm we packed all our instruments and all of the band (8 kids) + me + Victor into our car + Domingos and Silva on the bike and drove to this tiny little recording studio that is in a part of the city that has an overwhelming garbage pile plus smell to go with it. (Thankfully the recording studio itself did not smell bad). The studio is a tiny room and the inside is painted red, yellow and green - the colors of Africa. It is cute, cosy, and HOT (or very cold when the air-conditioning is on for a few minutes without making the power go out).

The kids set up all their equipment and then they started recording - I've never been in a recording studio before. I've seen it on T.V. but I've only seen the singing part - I've never seen recording instruments. This is common knowledge to some of you, but to me it was all new. They had each instrument play sozinho (“solo” or “alone” – one of my favorite Portuguese words) one at a time inside the sound proof booth, all starting with the drum.

Gil is only 13 years old and he is the drummer who had to start the entire thing and set the beat. He sat in the sound proof booth and had to drum the entire song completely alone with no help. He was SO concentrated and did a great job! Nobody in the band has ever played their part without the whole rest of the band to play off, so each person going sozinho was really impressive because it was not easy. Next came keyboard and then a guitar and then came the saxophone. Everyone is now calling the saxophone "menina de Domingos" (Domingos' girl) because it NEVER leaves him and is always treated like a baby - when all the other instruments stay in the concrete rondoval, the "menina" (saxophone) stays in our house. When the other instruments wait in the car, the "menina" goes out with the people.


Anyway - after the saxophone came Clara singing, then Graça singing and then Anabela singing. They all did an amazing job. Graça got a positive malaria test at the hospital the day before and felt kind of like a fever but she sang her heart out. She was wearing a big fleece in the recording booth and when she was in there all alone singing her heart out, with everyone else on the other side of the glass watching her - seeing her little face in there - so innocent and beautiful and calm - it made me so emotional. I looked at Victor and he had his head down because he was so emotional too. Graça is SO adorable.

There was another part of the recording where they had to do another drum to go with Gil's drumming and Domingos was SO into it that he went into the sound booth and meticulously and SO aggressively beat the drum for the duration of the song - everyone else was just watching him like it was the most interesting sight ever. Victor was saying it looked like he was killing a cobra and everyone agreed. Domingos is the kids music teacher and he is an amazing musician. He is like a mad man with every detail but still coaching and encouraging every kid with complete patience and kindness.


After our first-day trial song finished it was late into the night but Frango King was still open, so we all went there for dinner (which is a HUGE treat for all of us)!

I think being able to record this CD for the small fee it cost is one of the best bargains I have ever seen in my LIFE. I thought I was going to get bored sitting in that tiny recording studio for hours and hours, watching each kid play or sing their part one by one, but it was SO much fun and so wonderful. There was even hair braiding while waiting (which feels so good - like a head massage). Now I want to be in the studio for the duration of the CD recording!

Anyway - I just wanted to share the WONDERFUL experience that I (and 11 others) had this day!!! I absolutely can not WAIT until everyone will be able to hear this CD!!!

2 Kids from the Orphanage Graduate from IMAP Teachers Training College!

The older kids holding up Alzira and Santos to celebrate their graduation!

On Saturday two kids from the orphanage graduated from IMAP Teachers Training College. It is the best feeling in the world to participate in something like this - kids from an orphanage becoming professionals!The graduation was held in the Nampula Sports Arena. Everyone graduating is now a teacher and will be placed in different schools throughout Northern Mozambique.Santos Walking in the Halls of IMAP.

Alzira's last day on the college grounds. Behind the camera is her papaya tree. At IMAP every student is given pretty serious chores including working in a machamba, another one of my favorite Portuguese words, meaning small plot of farm. Alzira says she's going to miss the little papaya tree she was responsible for.

Santos and Alzira being greated by the kids as they return to the exact spot they left one year ago. Everyone remembered how Alzira had cried when she left the orphanage and jokingly asked her if she would cry again. All the little ones kept saying, "Mana Profesora!" ("Sister Teacher") in admiration for her.

Graduation day ended with a big celebration dinner at Hotel Milenio. We took some of the older kids and staff and for most this is the first time they have ever been to a restaurant. As you can see, we had a huge feast that will probably be talked about for forever. This was a GREAT day.

Kids Fun Day

On the same day as Alzira and Santos’ graduation there was a big kids fun day at a retreat center outside the city. Social Affairs, the area of the government that oversees everything having to do with kids, and Helpo, a Portuguese organization that helps kids in Africa, sponsored the event. They invited kids from all the orphanages to come and spend a day playing, eating, listening to music, and getting new t-shirts and hats. Our kids had a blast!

First everyone immediately ran to play on all the toys – swings, merry-go-rounds, see-saws, and slides. I don’t think any of them had ever seen a playground until today. This was the most exciting thing until they spotted . . . the monkey! “Macaco” (pronounced “makakoo”) is the word for monkey in Portuguese and I think it is the funniest word. But the kids all think that the word “monkey” (in English) is the funniest word and they look for every opportunity to say it. When we watched “Dunstin Checks In” (the best movie ever for this group, brought here by Ashlie) the kids were all yelling, “Monkey!!!” and laughing (about the word “monkey” being funny) every five seconds. Anyway . . . so of course today as soon as they saw him, they were all yelling, “Monkey!!!” (in English) and laughing. And it was very funny. They all rushed to get me to take pictures of him. I hope nobody gets upset seeing this monkey (since he’s on a leash tied to a tree). I don’t think his life is that bad. He lives in this tree and people give him tons of food. His life is probably boring but he seemed pretty interested in the kids and loved catching and eating the mangos they tossed to him. The kids thought it was the best thing ever watching him peel and eat mangos and then pretend to charge the crowd, making everyone scream and run away. After a long time watching the monkey the kids went back to the playing on the playground. Most people wanted to go on the slide at once. I think it was all of their first time on a slide ever. And then back to the "Monkey!"

Everyone got a big plate of chicken and rice for lunch. And then back to the "Monkey!" again. Finally the whole day ended with our band playing for all the kids, which included puppets singing. Kids here LOVE puppets and later Victor says he thinks some of the little ones thought they were seeing a new species (in the puppets) for the first time and were cautiously trying to look behind the curtain to figure it out. Victor says he saw one child trying to feed a puppet a cracker (seriously).

Today was a great day for all and it's wonderful to see the government and other organizations working together for kids.

The Kids' Music

Listening to the orphanage band is like magic to me and I sometimes feel like I can’t get enough of it. The kids create their own songs – Clara writes, Domingos makes arrangements for all the instruments, and everyone else collaborates. At least four times a week the band practices well into the night and I think this has got to be a treat for the neighborhood because our sound system is not quiet. The kids sing in a style with the sweetest melodies and warm African beats, all in Macua, and all to God.

One night I heard the kids practicing their music and ran to take pictures of the saxophone for my dad. But once I was sitting in the little open round concrete hut in the midst of them I found myself overcome with emotion for the kids and their singing.Earlier in the afternoon someone had brought Victor a copy of the newspaper which had an article about the orphanage in it. At the end of the article were little stories about three of the kids. Victor read each story aloud and as soon as he started with the first one, about Gabriel, I found myself completely crying. Victor and I ourselves have already told his story to people many times, but I felt like I was hearing it for the first time as it was in first person. When Gabriel was a baby his parents died and he was left with his sister who had a baby the same age. His brother decided to throw him into a latrine to relieve the pressure on the sister. After Gabriel was rescued by a neighbor he lived with a string of relatives who abused him, accused him of stealing things he had never touched, and left him to die of starvation. At age 10 Gabriel was rescued when another relative brought him to the orphanage. At the end of the article Gabriel says that today he is 19, doing well in school, wearing nice clothes, and eating all he could ever want. When I think of Gabriel today – I can not say enough good things about him. He is gentle and kind, has a huge instant smile, and is fiercely loyal. He protects younger kids and takes every responsibility seriously. He is a hard worker and a good example to others. In our little English class he is always calm but has complete enthusiasm. He is handsome and his clothes are always clean. When he plays soccer he somehow has the ability to go all out 100% against the older kids without ever trampling over the little ones.

Less than an hour after being overcome with emotion as I heard about Gabriel being an innocent little child, imagining him left to die as if he were worthless, I am sitting in the round concrete hut (with the grass roof – my favorite building here) in the midst of the kids music and here is Gabriel, who is kind of like the sound man (who sets up the equipment when the kids perform), singing and dancing back and forth with the others. Then I see two other teenage boys in the orphanage who love the singing so much that they have somehow become part of the band. They are both singing their hearts out, first standing in the doorway and then dancing with the others. It is the kind of thing where for the rest of your life you will remember this time with such fondness that you will just ache to be there again. The music is so beautiful – if anyone who ever reads this were here in this hut with me right now it would be impossible for you to say that you’ve ever heard music more beautiful. The melody is beautiful and haunting and maybe even bitter sweet and the combination of Clara’s voice and Domingos’ arrangements are perfect. These practices have been going on every night since we returned from the U.S. and I love it. The warm breeze comes in through all the large open-air windows. The music is in Macua and it’s all to God.

There are three girls singing plus now these three boys. Another boy is playing keyboard, another is playing guitar, a girl is playing bass, another boy is playing drums, and Domingos is going back and forth between the saxophone and another guitar, which I think he is like a genius at.

I am looking at the other two teenage boys and crying all over again because both of them came here literally from living homeless in the streets. Kids who live in the streets spend their time begging, rummaging through trash (and nothing touchable becomes trash here because everyone’s hungry and will even suck the marrow out of a bone before discarding it), wearing one piece of garbage clothing until it literally disintegrates and falls off, and may never have put on a shoe or a pair of underwear in their life. That’s what it means to be a street kid here. It’s basically unthinkable. I am looking at these two boys and thinking about where they would be right this minute and what they would be doing if they were not in this orphanage. They are here. They are Christians. They are passionate. They love God and people. They are loyal to the death. If Victor were to give them the worst punishment you could imagine in the morning they would still defend him with all their heart and strength the same night. And they are adorable. One has had a hard week. Yesterday the staff made a special Macua drink for all the kids and he took a lot of it and drank it even when the kitchen people tried to stop him. He got in big trouble and is now still recovering from this whole episode and its consequences. This morning my brother (who speaks Portuguese and has been in Mozambique more than I have) called us on Skype and I brought a little group of kids in to talk. After all the kids went out, the boy I am talking about came in, sat in a chair facing the laptop, and talked to my brother, looking at each other back and forth through laptop screens, for over ten minutes. This was one of the best, most valuable skype uses ever.

I can look at every person in this room and be emotional. One girl’s parents died of AIDS and when she and her little brother arrived here several years ago, they were so skinny and diseased that the staff thought they wouldn’t make it through the month. Now they are healthy and strong. She is gorgeous and her voice is amazing. Her personality is outgoing and soft and fun and enthusiastic. Even though she is a tiny 12 year old Victor has found her at times fasting and praying on her own ambition. She is delightful. Another girl’s parents died when their house collapsed on them in a storm. Before they died, leaving their children orphans, another boy’s dad was a well known chef , anothers was a policeman, and anothers was a beloved pastor. I can not even fathom the love that these parents must have had for their precious children and the horrific nightmare of the parent dying and the child being left at the mercy of whatever. Now they are here and they are in this little room singing their hearts out, playing their instruments, singing to God. They are all beautiful and handsome and strong, wearing nice clothes, and free from abuse, hunger, and fending-for-yourselfness. They sing like angels. I can’t believe I get to be part of this.
The band performing at the International Crossroads Music Festival in Nampula in May.

Construction Update (and Simba Update)

We have continued on with the foundation of the boys dorm and it’s looking great! Today we had several loads of filling come in and the entire orphanage busily moved every piece of sand, dirt, and rock into place. Usually the construction is being done by the workers, but whenever there’s something that needs LOTS of hands, the whole orphanage springs into action. I hope you can tell how fun the atmosphere is by the pictures.Nobody could stop laughing when they rolled a big log out of the way. And as usual everyone worked on into the night until the whole dirt pile was in the foundation. Then it was time for showers and rice and beans for dinner.

SIMBA

Meanwhile Simba finally got his rabbies vaccine on Thursday. At first he didn’t even want to be in the car but then Zaqueio got in he snuggled up in Zaqueio’s lap for the whole drive into town (I’m sorry I didn’t get a picture of this because it was so cute). When we took him to the vet they instructed Filipe and Zaqueio to hold him down like a goat, which was both funny and sad. It was also funny and sad when he screamed the worst dog scream ever when he got the injection. When we went back to the car he was too traumatized to eat or drink. But when we arrived back at the orfanato he leaped out, ran three laps around the property, and then raced back to his puddle where he settled completely emerged in the water (except for his head) and began furiously drinking the water he was sitting in (I’m sorry I don’t have a picture of this either). I always wondered where he was coming from when he would appear soaking wet in the middle of a hot day and now I know it’s from this puddle. Anyway, the next time I saw Simba he was sleeping on our porch (see pictures) in the midst of all the kids. He really is a baby. After he got his shot he limped around and barked at people from wherever he planted himself (instead of getting up to see who they were), which was very funny to everyone. He also refused to eat chima or bread but happily devoured some left over cookies. In case anyone’s worried about him – he’s completely fine and happy and back to normal now.

Ashlie's Leaving

Today everyone at the orphanage is sad because Ashlie went home. During the two months she was here the kids got used to playing with her every day, voice class, daily ginásticas, girl bible studies and many trips to the city. Last night we had a special chicken and French fries dinner (with fruit juice) and watched Mighty Joe Young. In the movie there are a few words in Swahili that are the same in Macua and the kids were all laughing and couldn’t believe it when the actors were saying things like, “ayo” which means “yes.” After the movie Ashlie gave all the kids ice cream and they loved it. The choir was there to say good-bye too. Everyone here will miss Ashlie a lot. When we came home from the airport the kids were all gathered in a group singing The Lion Sleeps tonight and Hosana in the Highest, their favorite songs that they learned from her. There are lots of brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr sounds mixed in, which always makes me laugh. Ashlie brought a lot of positive energy wherever she went as she always had a huge smile and was so encouraging and enthusiastic towards others. Her voice class was fantastic and there was always a lot of laughing going on, especially when she had each person go through the octaves with brrrrrrrrr’s. (Sorry if people reading this have no idea what I mean by brrrrrr and sorry music people for not knowing the proper terminology.) Anyway, thank you Ashlie for spending two months with us, being so fun and easy to talk to, being so flexible, and for enjoying the kids so much. I will miss not having another American around to laugh at the things that are usually only funny to me. And it is always a luxury for us to have visitors who can return home knowing what it’s like here – how beautiful and amazing the kids are, how joyful and adorable and optimistic they are, what their singing is like, what struggles we face, and how God’s presence is here. Thanks Ashlie!