Other events you missed out on

Lots have happened in the last few weeks and I just haven't had the time to blog.  Yikes!

Poor little Jose was playing with a soccer ball and fell and cracked open his head!  There was lots and lots and lots of blood.  We went to a nearby clinic to get it sewed up which was an experience (and story) in and of itself.  I love Mozambique.  I wish I had a better picture cause they only put 3 ginormous stitches in his head with the biggest thread and needle i have ever seen in my entire life.  Quite unneccessary for a 3 yr old.  But whatever.  It aint pertty, but it got the job done!

I played with babies in water which will never cease to bore me.  Babies playing in buckets of water is just cute!

Enocue is READY, but Alberto and Lena thought surely we were going to torture them...

 



they soon warmed up to the idea.....

splashing erin is FUN!

20 month old twins Lena and Enocue

and just because they are cute, i played with lots and lots of babies.  i can't help it.  i love tots!

Wesley and the TICKLE monster!!!

we gave...erghhh....tried to give meds to lots and lots of really sick tots!

Nurses: -2  Chelsia:  +2

And we said goodbye to Chris (for a bit).  I don't know why on EARTH she would want to leave us (something about needing to cool off and rest up and see family).  whatever.








**Say a few prayers for our tots if you think about us.  Quite a few have had very serious chest infections and really high fevers (think 104 degrees).  I think I currently have 9 out of 43 children on antibiotics at the moment.

Here's hoping 2010 is a GREAT and BLESSED year!  Happy New Year to everyone!

Christmas Eve Candelight Service

Even though we celebrated Christmas a whole week early, we still had special things for the kids at the center on the 25th.  Christmas Eve was HOT!!!  It was about 120 in the shade.  This is what i did....

For Christmas Eve we had a candle light service with dramas and singing.

Then on the actual day of Christmas we had a games day for the kids!

That night, all the missionaries got together to have a big Christmas dinner and gift exchange!  I even got to skype with my parents, sister, and grandmother for a bit that night.

Christmas Day (on the 18th)

Feliz Natal!

Merry Christmas from all of us (especially Chelisa and Dio) here in Maputo.

We've been very busy around here, so I haven't had time to upload Christmas pictures till now but I wanted to share them with you.  We were blessed with a coolish day (98 degrees) for Christmas (18th since we celebrated early).  We were all very thankful!

the bercario tots celebrating and opening presents.

Most of the Mozambican workers that serve our kids in the bercario and a few of the nurses that help me keep an eye on the kids.  All the tots from L to R:  Cleita in pink, Chelsia, Augustinho, Wesley, Lucia, and Francisco.

Then it was off the Baby House to open presents.  The kids all waiting so patiently for Pai Natal (Father Christmas) who was really a Mozambican in a very scary mask.  all the kids screamed in terror.  Bad idea.  So the mask was removed and we stayed with santa hats instead.

Dionisio opening presents with me.  He was a bit (ok alot) grumpy that day and demanded to be in my arms or on my lap all morning, lest he stomp his feet, shake his fists, squeal at the top of his lungs, and cry big crocodile tears mixed with sobs and hyperventilation.

Later there was Christmas chicken dinner with skits, dramas, dancing, and songs.

They LOVED the food and soda.  All the kids that have teeth and eat "big kid food" got a plate piled high with chicken, rice, coleslaw, fries, and sauce.

We fed over 500 people and still had 7 plates to spare.

guess someone got over their fear of food.

Dionisio chowing down on his first ever chicken wing without needing to be encouraged.

Julio and his mom came to celebrate Christmas with us.  He's doing pretty well, though scared that he's going to have to stay with us.  

Me with my favorite tias from the Bercario!  I love these women and have enjoyed watching them mature spiritually over the last year as well as a deeper relationship grow between us!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Resurrected Computer

Well, after a new hard drive my computer is good as new, thankfully! So now I get to update everyone on the last few weeks with pictures. and LOTS of them. (and note...i wrote this blog a WEEK ago....and it's taken me THIS long to upload the pics)

Julio was reintegrated with his mother and brother. He was very excited. I am seeing him every 2 weeks to make sure his asthma is under control, that he’s gaining weight, to give him all his meds, and to make sure he remains healthy. Everytime he comes back he’s scared he’s going to have to stay and he gets really sad. Everytime I explain that he gets to live with his mom now and doesn’t have to stay here with us; that he’s just going to visit with me so I can make sure he’s still ok. It’s kinda hard for a 4 year old to understand though.

Joao, formerly of the BH last year, but now in Laura’s dorm has a baby cousin, Cleita, in the Bercario whom he LOVES to visit…and snuggle, and kiss.

We played with babies in tubs of cold water on the days when it was really hot.

Cleita was ummm…..suprised when i splashed her.





I never got tired of that game or her face. Wesley was the cheife and kicked back watching all the action.

Myself, Chris, and Meghann went to South Africa for a 4-day weekend as an early birthday celebration for me. We stayed at a nice bed and breakfast with amazing views and food.

Saturday we spent the day being lazy, sleeping in, hanging out by their could-eat-you-whole dog , and we ate a 7 course dinner that night. I’m still stuffed from it.

Speaking of horses, on Sunday we drove around this cute little town that has wild horses roaming freely all over the place. It kinda reminded me of those tiny towns in the south with the stores with a bunch of junk collected from garage sales that they are attempting to see to you as heirlooms. good times. Chris is petrified of the horses. One stuck his head into our car window. Chris did NOT like this very much. Meghann and i laughed at her for a very long time!




Then we hiked to that amazing escarpment i wrote about last time. We followed the yellow stone footprints.

It was a long way and very treacherous with all the rock climbing, especially with my clumsiness. We had to rest a bit. And I know how ya’ll have been waiting to see the gorgeous view.

We were too. But apparently a giant cloud had other plans. This is all we could see. Chris was annoyed. Meghann and I made the most of it……

Plus, we would have never seen this......

A giant peixe!!

Monday we headed back to Maputo, but not before getting up way before stupid o’clock in the morning WITHOUT coffee (thank you chris) and driving through Kruger to see all those animals that were on holiday. Probably cause of my birthday.


 Despite that…..I was serious about shooting some aminals.

We met an elephant that wanted to catch a ride with us. Chris said we didn’t have space.

He was awfully big, but I thought we could have made some room for him.

We happened upon to ferroucious lions that wanted to eat us for lunch.

**note by the car on the left how close we are to them. Meghann scared them off by roaring loudly back at them. They were quite terrified of her.

Of course there were hippos.

And we spotted a leopard. he was just walking 3 feet from the side of the road, out for a leisurely stroll.

Chris didn’t care about zebras and giraffes…..but they’re my favorite and apparently had all gone on holiday. So i prayed all day for one…..and finally right before we left…..

one came out of hiding and smiled for me.

All in all, we had a lot of fun and rested a bunch. Now it’s back to work and CHRISTMAS on FRIDAY!!! Woot Woot! I’m ready!

ps….for all those seriously worried….my spots are almost all gone. and i still have no clue what they were to begin with!  neither did a south african doc-in-the-box who proceeded to pull out a dermatology book and flip through it for answers.