Thursday June 25

Hello,

I am very sorry ....weve had tech difficulties again...I am pressed for time also. So I will just get into this. We eat breakfast every day at 6:30 am and leave for dandora school at 7:15...we don't get back until 4:30 or so We eat dinner and have evening devotions....until 9....For most everyone this is a very long day. We are hot, sweaty, tired, physically and emotionally drained.
I have asked for some personal stories from the days....here are just a few.

Randy writes:
Frederick is a budding psychologist everyday he comes to me with cases of people who he has been trying to counsel today i gave him a stack full of handouts on basic counseling skills. we then talked through how he could use the handouts to help his friends. he was so thankful! maybe it was a mirage..because it was a very hot day..but it seemed like he was floating on air. "maybe meeting me was the reason God sent you on this trip", was what he said. Who knows? Maybe it was,.

Emily writes:

On Tues. I had the opportunity to be inside most of the day where praise and worship was going on. The joy all of the children have is overwhelming. Theygenuinely love to worship through singing, clapping, shouting and dancing. One group of girls from one of the other schools particularly stood out to me because of their jubilant and constant dancing. I went over and joined them and we immediately struck up a frinedship, just by jumping around together. Afterwards whn I was talking to them, one of the girls who was probably about 10 years old took my hands and earnestly said "emily please don't forget about us". And i could honestly respond that I will never be able to forget a single one of their beautiful faces. The joyu and love of each child really has touched me in a permanent way that I will always remember.

Kelsey writes:

My experience with the kids has been extremely moving and something I will never forget. I have learned countless things from all of them and continue to learn more each day. It is so amazing and unreal to see these kids who literally have nothing and yet they are so incrediblely joyfull. there is certainly a lessonto be learned from them. How can we just sit back and complain about everything in sight when there are children here who are starving and living on the streets. Today I was talking to this girl Christine and she was explaining how blessed she is to go to the school and have a good family. In many ways I wish I was more like that and I hope that I will be when I return home. Each and every one of them has taught me so much abou life and whaty is really important in it. I will never forget them.

Shelley writes:

Have you ever seen children who were starving? I held two in my arms yesterday. Their mother is gone...sick and the father is with her. They were filthy...caked in mud, eyes crusted. Their clothes....were beyond repair. They would not talk they were so hungry. I cannot begin to describe this adequately. One of the older students....Evelyn took them by the hand and we fed them porridge in the back of the school. I asked Evelyn...if she had ever been in such a situation and she said yes..but for the school, this would also be her lot. They at the school are so incredibly grateful. Tears came to Evelyn's eyes....she said "you people are so generous...we are so grateful...we love you".

More later....we are now tech. sound. I will write later.