Updates and Reflections

Today half of our children are gone on holiday. The remaining children and I just got done wrestling in the church. It is a big church with a large open space. For Sunday service the children bring loads of plastic chairs and set them up in the church. Today however the space was empty. Javonta and I fought off about twelve children of different ages. They would team up and try to pull us down. Finally my body gave way and I fell down amidst many cheers and much laughter. I got up and laughed a bit myself as I congratulated them on their excellent teamwork. I had taken them all down innumerable times and is was high time that I was defeated. Later that afternoon Rachelann told me that she had seen some of the girls come from the church breathing heavily and sporting big smiles. She told me that when she had asked them what had happened they replied, “Uncle Ben!”.

The girls were far much stronger than the boys. This is probably because the amount of work the girls do is simply amazing. I have been shocked many times as I have witnessed the quantity of tasks that are completed by the children before 7am. The kids get up at 5:45am every morning and do their chores before breakfast. This early wakeup call is sounded by the rooster who alerts us sleepy folks that it is time to get up for another great day. Of course I should mention that during summer break, the children usually stay up until about 11pm each night to do devotions. But they still have full energy and laughter each day.

I am really having fun getting to know these children. Many of them have been asking me to teach them something. I have been teaching one of my new friends, Jeremiah, guitar. He has been practicing almost every day with a guitar that was donated by the team that was previously here.

I have also been teaching many of the staff and children typing and computer skills. Many of the staff have never used a computer before. I have been enjoying showing them pictures that I have on my laptop. When I am online, I will be able to show them the Google Earth utility and show them around the world. I keep encouraging the children to dream big. It will be so much fun to show them other places that they have only thought of dreaming about before.