Hello! How ARE you? We are doing well for the most part. Tommy vomited last night but seems to be doing fine today and Don has a rising. I will be honest, my husband’s rising, doesn’t look as bad as it is. But a rising is a blood infection of some kind that gets infected and begins to rise. When it begins, it looks just like a mosquito bite, but gets swollen and looks a lot bigger than just where the “mosquito bite” is and it really hurts. At this point in the process, it is bright red, puffy, and a white liquid is oozing out. Don says that the area is so tender that even if his arm hairs move, it hurts it. Kim says that it can even cause a temperature and can be about impossible to get anything done because it hurts so badly. He also says that Don is really suffering, so I should have compassion on him. :) And I do, at least, I hope. So, I think that you should have compassion on him as well. :)
I am thinking that an update is way over due, so here goes. Last Saturday, we went to PTP Camp once again. Wow, if only each and every one of you could be here to join in the experience, I know that you would have a blast. It is so fun to watch the kids. I think that the number of children is definitely growing. I believe that we started our Bible Study with over 100 kids this time and ended with close to 200. Let me try to explain it to you. We arrived at our friend’s, Nelson, house. He lives deep in PTP Camp, clear on the other side, so it takes awhile even after arriving in PTP Camp while traveling on motorbike to get there. From there, we sat under a bamboo porch with a steel roof and waited for my husband to go back home to get the rest of the clan. While we are waiting, groups of kids and adults walk by the door way hoping to catch a glimpse of us. I walked outside many times to try to greet everyone and was only successful one time. (When I walked out, all scattered in many different directions. I suppose they were afraid of me.) Meanwhile, Christian, Grace and I read the Bible. Once my husband and the rest of the kid’s arrived and after our interpreter arrived, we began our trek up to the school. It is a good walk up to the school. Each step we took, more kid’s joined us until we become a large mob heading to the school. By now, Tommy is clearly in his element. He is running around trying to hold people’s hands with a huge smile on his face. As we walked Tommy played a game with the kids. The kid try not to be touched by him while he tries to touch each of them. As we walked, you hear screaming and then laughter. The laugher that you hear is not only the kid’s laughter but also your own laughter. Everyone involved are having fun! Once we arrived at the school, all gathered in a school room. Christian, Tommy, Don, and Grace stand up in the front confidently as they began teaching their portion of scripture from our picture Bible. For the most part, all the kids are listening intently on every word or sign was being spoken. Where am I? I am in the back, supposedly taking pictures, but struggle because I have so many kids surrounding me. One is on my lap, while others are tightly woven around me, touching my arms and legs. In fact, there are so many little black arms and hands that when I look down, I am quite sure that my skin has changed colors. Later, Christian said it nicely. He said, “Mom, when I looked back and saw you, I thought to myself, “Oh, Mom is loving this.” He is right. I was loving every second of it. After the kids teach, they gather a few of the older kids who can read and take them back to Nelson’s house. So the big mob leaving the school continues to grow by the second as we walk back.
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| Children gathering at PTP camp |
Don leaves and takes the first group of us back home and Christian hands each one of them, their own French New Testament. He then begins to show these kids how to begin “Bible markings” in their new French New Testament Bible’s. Christian did a remarkable job. He so amazed me. He listened to their questions and calmly answered all their questions even with the language barrier. All during the last part, Nelson, was outside playing games with all the PTP kids. Then the day was over and we began our trek back home again.
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| Last day with our dear friend Christine |
The rest of the week has been good. Though, our dear friend, Christine left on Tues morning. What a sad day that was. We really enjoyed our time with her.
Tommy’s birthday was yesterday. That was a fun day. He had no count down because he wanted it to be a surprise. He knew nothing and awoke hearing the family sing Happy Birthday to him. Daddy then took him around to each of our friends and told them that it was his birthday. Of course, we cancelled school for the day and made it a family day. (We have a “No School” on birthdays policy.) Even Daddy took the day off at the Bible Institute. We finished our pancakes with syrup for breakfast that Christine brought for us. Mmmmm. Delicious. We had the music going, so we danced to the tunes while it poured down rain on us. (Very thankful for our “new back porch.”) Then we tried to make a cake, but the flour had spoiled. (There were the normal bugs in the flour but this time there was also worms and a few other kinds of bugs so we decided to pass on the cake.) Grace then made us a dessert with peanut butter and sugar. She insisted we needed to do something for Tommy. He definitely deserved it. :)
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| Tommy opening the kid's present |
Right before lunch, Tommy opened his gifts. He got gum, suckers, lego’s, 2 ducks, and a kitten. Pretty good birthday, huh? Then we went out to eat at Florida and Kim joined us for the celebration. We played The Snowball Game while waiting for our food. We had a good time and decided that we were the only people in Zwedru that were playing with snowballs right then. :) So it was fun at least until we awoke in the middle of the night, helping Tommy as he vomited. Unfortunately, vomiting for no apparent reason is considered normal these days.
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| Jessie enjoying Tommy's B-day |
Well, love you all sooooo much! We are so looking forward to seeing you! Get ready for the hugs, for they will be ever enduring.....
Love, Mel :)
PS. There has been small confusion, I believe. ALL of our family are going home for a visit. Yeah!!!!! :)
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