Babies, Home Studies, and School

This week I got to spend my first day and night by myself at the orphanage. It went pretty well. But I decided it wasn't something I could do long term...there are too many kids and people and stuff going on. It's overwhelming. Ruth and Nichole went to Ouaga to drop one of our cooks and one of our weavers off at a nine month course in weaving. These women will learn how to make some really beautiful fabrics. I'm still not really sure why our part-time cook went. My best guess is that she really wants to be doing weaving. They were both excited to go.

So since I've last written, Nichole and I have begun to “do medicines” on a daily basis. Our two nurses are doing an internship in Ouahigouya, which is hopefully going to be very beneficial to them both...and then to us. I'm used to doing them with Nichole. We are then able to have two of us who know what's going on (less chance of someone being forgotten) and two heads are almost always better than one. Monday and Tuesday I was on my own for meds again. No one was sick like they were the last time I did them by myself, but it was still a lot of work...a lot of kids to check up on throughout the day. Jeanette had a bad cold. I had to clean her nose out a couple of times because she couldn't breathe; and Lydia has impetigo so I've had to bring her in the house twice a day to clean her up really well and put medicine on her...it's purple medicine. My clothes the past three days and my arms and sometimes my face have been purple. It's funny. They are both doing better but it just takes time to do those things.

The baby that I blogged about last time, Alex has died. He died Saturday morning.

We have another new baby. Madina is one month old and beautiful...but she too had a fever the first day she was here. She's on meds and hasn't had a fever since so that's a good sign. Our babies need your prayers!!!

We have two new boys Joshua and Edward. Joshua is the twelve year old brother of one of our older girls, Irene. Edward is fourteen. They are fitting right in and are fun to have around.

School started Monday! It's strange to not have the kids around all day. They were all ready to go back. Ready for another year of studying...so that's good. They get more excited about school than kids at home. In a way I think they realize what a privilege it is for them to get to go to school so you don't hear them complaining about it.

This weekend is the engagement party for Dina, our seamstress!! She is glowing; she is so excited. Nichole and I are going to take a bus with her father to the village to participate in the festivities. It will be an adventure for sure and hopefully a lot of fun.

Assya's Italian adoptive parents are coming in two weeks!! It's so wonderful to know that she has a family!!

Last week I was able to start helping Lynn do home studies for the sponsorship program. I went with one of her employees, Boris, to visit the courtyards of families who want to be considered for the sponsorship program. I interviewed them and looked around the courtyard looking for electricity, animals, nice clothes, fat babies...things that would indicate the family is doing ok and not in need of the program. I LOVED IT. I loved being in the community and with the families. I'm looking forward to doing more home studies in the future.

My family bought their plane tickets to come visit me!! My mom, dad, brother, cousin, and two others are planning to visit from Dec 19-Jan 1. It's official. I'm excited! It's going to be great to see them.

It's hard to believe I've been here for four months. Sometimes it feels like I just got here and other times it feels like I've already been here for a year. It feels the same way with my French. Some days I'm feeling pretty good about it and other days not so good. It's always worse when I'm tired.

It's getting HOT again. And I mean hot. We are pretty much always sweating and needing water. It's going to be a long hot month before it starts cooling off for the winter. (I broke our thermometer so I don't actually know how hot it is...oops!)

My mom has told me that a lot of you ask about me and say that you are praying for me and I just want to say that I appreciate it!!!

If you are wanting ways to pray for me...

My French
My babies and their health
Wisdom to know how to treat their sicknesses
Wisdom to know whether or not to stay another year, or to go somewhere else
More joy because the joy of the Lord is my strength...and I need His
strength!