So here we are once again. We only have 9 more meetings after this one, which is kind of weird. I can't believe i've been here 7 weeks already. I know I say that just about every week. But it's true. The longer I'm here, the more and more comfortable I feel here. This past week has been a really good week for me. I'm finally beginning to accept my role here, and be who I am here, a big brother/ role model/ staff member.
This week we were given a new schedule that will take us to when school starts, and then we get a new schedule. School starts on June 6th here, and the first day of summer vacation for the kids here was April 5th, the day I arrived. So it's not that long of a break. But with this new schedule I am with the kids all morning, and during the evening, and I have the afternoons off. In the morning I am responsible for giving just about all the kids, accept for 3, medicine. The kids have some kind of skin fungus that spreads when ever the kids sweat. So they have to get this medicine three times a day, once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once again in the evening. The morning dose, they receive right when they wake up, and are not sweaty yet. The medicine is a cream that has to be put on the spots themselves. The afternoon and the evening doses they have to shower before receiving to get the sweat off, and be clean. Once they get the medicine, they have to let it sit before being able to run around again. Once all the kids have gotten the morning medicine dose, and have let it sit, it's time to go outside for outdoor games and activities. This usually involves throwing the football around. I taught most of the older kids how to throw a football this past week, and the more they throw, the better they get. Once we're done with that, which is usually around 10:15-10:30 or so, it's time for chores. Each kid has his/her own chore, depending on what the chore is, there could be two kids to do one chore. Chores last until about 11:00, at such time, they have to go inside, and takes showers to get the next dose of medicine. This lasts about an hour or so. At noon, it's time for lunch, and then after lunch is my time off until about 5:00 or so. In the afternoons, they have group music time with Art and Earl. They have private music lessons in the morning during outdoor play and activities. At 5:00 when I get back from my time off, it's free play and the kids can do whatever they'd like, which usually involves playing cards, they LOVE playing cards. At 6:00 it's time for dinner. Dinner has gotten very interesting lately. But that's to be expected in a different country. After dinner I have time to Skype people back home if needed (If you want to Skype let me know, and we can set up a date to do so). During that time, the kids receive their last medicine dose of the day. From 8-9 is devotion time. I'm responsible for devotions on Wednesday and Saturday.
Before the new schedule started, I had been in charge of devotions for the older kids every night. About 2 weeks ago, I had asked them to start reading their bibles by themselves, and I had told them to start reading in the book of John. Yesterday, Thursday, one of the boys came up to me and said that he had finished the book of John, and was in Acts, and he mentioned that he liked John, but he was liking Acts better. This made me very very happy to hear. I am hoping and praying that he continues to read once I leave, and not just him, but all the kids continue to read their bibles everyday. I've learned that without reading the bible everyday, life gets sluggish, and doesn't feel all that good.
Now that we have a pretty sound schedule that people are following, it makes being here a lot easier, and a lot less stressful, and lot more enjoyable. As I've said the past, these last 9 weeks will fly by. I am happy that I go home in about 2 months because I get to see all my friends and family whom I haven't seen in 4 months by that time. But at the same time, a little bummed. I mean, yeah, I know that this trip has to come to an end eventually, but this is an awesome place to be...aside from the heat. I could do without the heat. This doesn't necessarily mean that I can see myself here long term. I don't think this is for me long term. Would I mind returning in the future for a visit, or another missions trip? Not at all.
All right well that's all for this week. Same time, same place next week!
With the wind,
Mark
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