Noticing....

I laugh at the fact that I know when someone is coming home. Not because the dog barks, or that I am expecting someone….but rather…..that I hear the gate squeak open.

I looked through my MP3 player last night looking for a song and found an album that a friend burned for me that I downloaded….totally forgot about it….what a blessing to listen to. Totally worshipped.

Baby Steven is sick again. He looked like he was dead when Monica brought him to us. The clinic told her that he had malaria and they had no medicine. She then persisted and “somehow” the found some medicine to give him an injection….but not enough. He is at Lacor now…pray for him. He was healthy last week when we saw him Friday…Pray.

On that note, most of our children are getting fatter, plumper. Seeing a lot more smiles, tummy receding and faces filling out. Amazing what one good meal a day does for five days a week.

Okello Patrick intrigues me. I want to know what makes that kid tick. We are bonding lately. Pato has taken to him as well. I think he is beginning to trust us. Well, when I was helping him wash his hands (lawaka cing) I asked him who he lives with, where his father and mother are. He told me – father killed by rebels and mother he doesn’t know what happened to her. Then he stopped. He just shut down. His eyes were down, his face drained – almost as if he was reliving something that was killing him inside. It was automatic. I knew it was my fault for asking…but I just want to know what is up with this 14 year old kid. Something. I then grabbed him and gave him a hug from the side and said “Amari” (I love you). We then sat next to each other and talked…asked him how to say things, shared my little bit of Acholi with him…he smiled again. I need to figure out what happened and how it affected him. Pray for me on this…counseling children can be very traumatic…more so than adults. I want to proceed gently, lovingly and timely.

I like the classroom – I miss it. But I am really seeing more and more of my role outside the classroom in counseling. Boy, as great that is it is scary and unknown. Each story gets deeper in trauma, harder in hearing, devastating to the heart. I am so glad Christ is around….no one can heal unless they have Him. PG

It is DOWNPOURING. I like rain on the tin roof.

Simon is laughing and being silly again. Missed that…glad to have him back.

I asked God two questions yesterday. Haven’t heard definitive answers….I asked Him to…but He didn’t. I still think He is making me wait….wow. haha.

Mushrooms are amazing. I wish there were more mushrooms from the forest around here.
I think we can purchase two new tires. PG

We are helping Jennifer start a business. Pray that wisdom prevails and honesty flows.

Yesterday at church, with all the babies around, I thought to myself, “I want one”. Ha.

I love faces…smiles especially….more when they are fairly new. Ajok Jacklyn (Godfred’s wife) smiles so much now….and eye contact. She actually approaches me…I think she knows we love her. I think challenging her to go back to the LORD and sharing the gospel with her has changed her. Not sure exactly what it has done to her eternally, but I tell ya, she LOOKS different.

If I write a lot about people, sometimes the same ones, it is because it excites me to see lives change, attitudes transform, faces brighten…it never gets old. It delights me to see lives touched by the great Redeemers hand.