Saturday, September 29, 2007
Halima, Jackie, Prisca 
Friday, September 28, 2007
Concert In Philli!
The last week has been such a blur, the days are so full, yet things seem to fly to because we are so busy! We did three concerts S
unday, Monday, Tuesday were rehearsal and then driving to Des Moines, wednesday we got up at 3:45, went to the airport, where the adventure began. I tell ya, trucking 26 kids around the airport is crazy! First, we had to get thier bags checked, so the guy called each person individually. The first girl went up, and someone said, oh go ahead and put it on the scale, so she sat down, complete with her bag on on the scale... because the kids are all dressed alike and are in such a huge group, everyone would stop and look, make thier comment either something like "oh, you've got your hands full," or mumble, "man, bad timing to get in line." However, most people love the kids. We took several trips to the bathroom, ordered 32 sandwiches from Quiznos, got the kids through security, and on to one plane, and then another! Phew, and although we had already been working for 9 hours, it was only noon when we got to Philli so the day had just begun! Naps for the kids, work for the adults followed. And then dinner at the park, another glorious KFC and a ride on the carasoul, and park:)
Concert Day: In the morning, we took them over for a rehearsal at the constitution center, where a lot of VIP offical looking people were everywhere, looking stressed, giving way too much of thier own opinions, so us chaperones just sorta sat back and watched... I kept laughing at them because one lady was very concerned the boys were going to kick the drums off the stage. What people often forget is that these kids know what they are doing:) and we know what we are doing, yet it seems at every place we go, there's a whole set of people with thier own agenda, and at this thing, it was that times a million:) also, i learned quickly the huge power of my little plastic tag that i wear as a necklace. It says choir
unday, Monday, Tuesday were rehearsal and then driving to Des Moines, wednesday we got up at 3:45, went to the airport, where the adventure began. I tell ya, trucking 26 kids around the airport is crazy! First, we had to get thier bags checked, so the guy called each person individually. The first girl went up, and someone said, oh go ahead and put it on the scale, so she sat down, complete with her bag on on the scale... because the kids are all dressed alike and are in such a huge group, everyone would stop and look, make thier comment either something like "oh, you've got your hands full," or mumble, "man, bad timing to get in line." However, most people love the kids. We took several trips to the bathroom, ordered 32 sandwiches from Quiznos, got the kids through security, and on to one plane, and then another! Phew, and although we had already been working for 9 hours, it was only noon when we got to Philli so the day had just begun! Naps for the kids, work for the adults followed. And then dinner at the park, another glorious KFC and a ride on the carasoul, and park:)Concert Day: In the morning, we took them over for a rehearsal at the constitution center, where a lot of VIP offical looking people were everywhere, looking stressed, giving way too much of thier own opinions, so us chaperones just sorta sat back and watched... I kept laughing at them because one lady was very concerned the boys were going to kick the drums off the stage. What people often forget is that these kids know what they are doing:) and we know what we are doing, yet it seems at every place we go, there's a whole set of people with thier own agenda, and at this thing, it was that times a million:) also, i learned quickly the huge power of my little plastic tag that i wear as a necklace. It says choir
chaperone, has my picture, and my name... woo:) but... When i walked in, they looked at that, and didn't even question me. It was wierd, all that day and the next, i felt like a little girl playing dressup who was pretending to be official. However, that little tag gave me lots of power, it was funny. After the rehearsal, we went to see the liberty bell, where several nosy Asians ran up and kept getting in our pictures, and wanting a picture with "that one." referring to one of my kids... i tell you the next time someone calls my girls boys, or asks me if thier triplets, i'm gonna take him out:)
Then home for naps for the kids, and ironing 26 uniforms and our own uniforms for the adults! Next was dinner, which was supposed to be left over sandwiches, but our boss wouldn't stand for it, and politelty asked for hamburgers... then we got the kids ready for thier performance! it was quite exciting, although i must say the first part of the event was so cheesy, some dumb guy read a corny poem, they even sang parts, and kids are much cuter singing then adults are. we waited anxiously for our turn to help the kids on stage, watching on the TV screen as Bono and George Bush Sr. talked. (none of us knew until the day before that it was in fact, George Bush Senior and not the current president) then, they let us out, and i got to see Bono, and hear him speak. I also could see Bush, and he smiled a few times at the kids. The kids definitly were the star of the show:) no biases and sang well. they sang one african piece, with drums, and this little light of mine. it was neat because bush and bono were both singing along:) Bono really likes the African Children's Choir. After thier performance which was a huge success, we rushed out, and i saw Bono, and was about 10 ft from him! :) he didn't end up hugging the kids, but it was still really cool! Afterwards people wanted to talk to the kids, congragulate them, and all we wanted to do was get them home to bed, we were all tired.. (at least the adults:) but it was really fun!
Then home for naps for the kids, and ironing 26 uniforms and our own uniforms for the adults! Next was dinner, which was supposed to be left over sandwiches, but our boss wouldn't stand for it, and politelty asked for hamburgers... then we got the kids ready for thier performance! it was quite exciting, although i must say the first part of the event was so cheesy, some dumb guy read a corny poem, they even sang parts, and kids are much cuter singing then adults are. we waited anxiously for our turn to help the kids on stage, watching on the TV screen as Bono and George Bush Sr. talked. (none of us knew until the day before that it was in fact, George Bush Senior and not the current president) then, they let us out, and i got to see Bono, and hear him speak. I also could see Bush, and he smiled a few times at the kids. The kids definitly were the star of the show:) no biases and sang well. they sang one african piece, with drums, and this little light of mine. it was neat because bush and bono were both singing along:) Bono really likes the African Children's Choir. After thier performance which was a huge success, we rushed out, and i saw Bono, and was about 10 ft from him! :) he didn't end up hugging the kids, but it was still really cool! Afterwards people wanted to talk to the kids, congragulate them, and all we wanted to do was get them home to bed, we were all tired.. (at least the adults:) but it was really fun!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
First Concert
Last night, we had our first concert. It was at a beautiful, old presbyterian church in Davenport, Iowa. The church itself seemed to be a medium sized church, however, by 6:30 (the concert started at 7), the place was already almost full, so we knew that there were going to be a lot of people there. The place was jammed packed! We kept trying to add more chairs, as my product table kept getting pushed farther and farther back. I'm the product manager, at least that's my job during concert nights, so i supervise selling of our lovely merchandise. Anyways, I've decided it's sorta like putting on a huge show, but we do it 4 or 5 times a week. I'm hoping that it will become more natural soon, but at the moment, I'm still learning all the little details of my job, and it's stressful, but we're getting there! The concert itself went really well:) the people cheered loud, for a first concert, we didn't have any noticable mistakes, and the offering plates were piled high:) this morning there was a nice review in the paper about it, so that's always good too:)
I am in my first host family at this moment, and so far it has been good. I think i'll have to begin fitting in a workout more frequently, as we seem to be extremely well fed, and i sit at a desk during the day and work on my product stuff:) so the activity level is low!:) Tommorrow, we have another concert in Iowa, City, Iowa. I'm hoping the quality continues to grow! The children are quickly becoming the loves of my life... i must say i don't have a spare moment in the day, because they take it all up, but i'm loving it:) so it's good! The other day, Anna, one of my seven year olds, looked over while she was trying to eat broccoli and said "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." How cute is that:) Anyways, it's funny things like this that make my job worth doing.
Prayer request:
t I suppose if I had a prayer request, it would be that our days are really long, we don't get breaks really, and so the potential for burnout quickly is high.... We don't actually get a day off until after next week, because there's too much to do, so if you could pray that God would give me strength to finish off three weeks without a day off well, that would be great!
I am in my first host family at this moment, and so far it has been good. I think i'll have to begin fitting in a workout more frequently, as we seem to be extremely well fed, and i sit at a desk during the day and work on my product stuff:) so the activity level is low!:) Tommorrow, we have another concert in Iowa, City, Iowa. I'm hoping the quality continues to grow! The children are quickly becoming the loves of my life... i must say i don't have a spare moment in the day, because they take it all up, but i'm loving it:) so it's good! The other day, Anna, one of my seven year olds, looked over while she was trying to eat broccoli and said "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." How cute is that:) Anyways, it's funny things like this that make my job worth doing.
Prayer request:
t I suppose if I had a prayer request, it would be that our days are really long, we don't get breaks really, and so the potential for burnout quickly is high.... We don't actually get a day off until after next week, because there's too much to do, so if you could pray that God would give me strength to finish off three weeks without a day off well, that would be great!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Concert with Bono Coming Soon- Read this!:)
The last few days have been filled with a ton of things, from a dress rehearsal today, where each of the kids, and the chaperones had to do everything exactly as if in a concert. We actually had about 100 people there, so it seemed like a concert to the kids. As product manager, I have a lot of responsibilty with maing sure all products sold are inventoried, priced, packaged, and that all the money is accounted for. Although at this point, it seems quite overwhelming, I know that after a few concerts, it will become like second nature to me:) at least I hope!
Next week, we will fly to Philidelphia and the choir will be singing with Bono where president Bush will be, on Thursday, it will be on national television! It's called the Liberty Award, President Bush will be giving the award to Bono, and
you all should watch, because it's going to be really sweet! It will be Thursday Sept.27, at 7pmEST (4pm pacific time) onWPVI tv 6abc and webcast 6abc.
In the midst of preparing for these huge things, which is crazy busy, because we are trying to get our choir on their feet with everything from thier clothes, shoes, performance level and then preparing products, organizing budgets, inventories, to--- taking care of children, another huge ta
sk!:) For example, today, we had hot dogs for lunch with the kids, and it was funny because one of the other chaperones told the kids at breakfast we were eating hot dogs, and they all started yelling ewwww! (hehe, they eat dogs in Kenya) so they were expecting hot dogs for lunch, and we didn't tell them:) so at lunch, i had to convince about 10 kids that the meat was actually beef and not dog:) it was fun! because these kids are experiencing so many new things, they say the funniest things! we make them clean thier plates, and poor kids, one had to eat about 3 pieces of onion, and broccoli, two foods which i refure to ever eat! oops, i just don't tell them that:) showering the kids is always a task, this is the first time they've ever taken showers.... by the time my shower duty night was over, there was about a foot of water on the floor, random girls clothes lying everywhere, and one sobbing 7 year old, who "couldn't find her panties or her shirt) and was terrified she was going to get in trouble for it! (i took her around, and in about 5 minutes, we found said missing items, but it was still a bit of a drama for her!)
So there you have it, i'm being pulled in every direction from business woman preparing my little stars to sing with Bono, :) to mommy who has to flush poo-filled toilets that girls have forgotten to get flushed!
Next week, we will fly to Philidelphia and the choir will be singing with Bono where president Bush will be, on Thursday, it will be on national television! It's called the Liberty Award, President Bush will be giving the award to Bono, and
you all should watch, because it's going to be really sweet! It will be Thursday Sept.27, at 7pmEST (4pm pacific time) onWPVI tv 6abc and webcast 6abc.In the midst of preparing for these huge things, which is crazy busy, because we are trying to get our choir on their feet with everything from thier clothes, shoes, performance level and then preparing products, organizing budgets, inventories, to--- taking care of children, another huge ta
sk!:) For example, today, we had hot dogs for lunch with the kids, and it was funny because one of the other chaperones told the kids at breakfast we were eating hot dogs, and they all started yelling ewwww! (hehe, they eat dogs in Kenya) so they were expecting hot dogs for lunch, and we didn't tell them:) so at lunch, i had to convince about 10 kids that the meat was actually beef and not dog:) it was fun! because these kids are experiencing so many new things, they say the funniest things! we make them clean thier plates, and poor kids, one had to eat about 3 pieces of onion, and broccoli, two foods which i refure to ever eat! oops, i just don't tell them that:) showering the kids is always a task, this is the first time they've ever taken showers.... by the time my shower duty night was over, there was about a foot of water on the floor, random girls clothes lying everywhere, and one sobbing 7 year old, who "couldn't find her panties or her shirt) and was terrified she was going to get in trouble for it! (i took her around, and in about 5 minutes, we found said missing items, but it was still a bit of a drama for her!)So there you have it, i'm being pulled in every direction from business woman preparing my little stars to sing with Bono, :) to mommy who has to flush poo-filled toilets that girls have forgotten to get flushed!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Shoe shopping
Sept 14-
Today was again very busy. Beth and I began the huge task of organizing supplies that sit in our "home" which is the bus. We organized clothes into sizes, marked them in proper places, and in about an hour and a half, made it through three out of about 15 categories that need to get done before we leave camp:) We then went straight to Wal-Mart with the kids to buy shoes. We had to size all of them, because they don't know thier sizes, and then proceeded in groups of 4 kids to buy all of them playing shoes. I think every time we go into a store, we end up basically buying out all of thier things, because when we left we had taken about all of thier cute size 13, 1 and 2 shoes. The girls were very excited about thier shoes, and the boys have cute black skater shoes:)
After getting back, that took awhile, i taught them "I've got a river of life" on the bus, and then the kids played outside. I then had the job of getting 16 girls showered... which was a large task. There are two showers, no where to put thier clothes, and 16 girls who are prone to lose thier things... Anyways, by the time they were all done, we had run out of cold water, the floor was soaking, and the girls were clean:) success! The only thing that happened was one girl accidently took Jackies shirt and undies, and she began to cry, terrified that she would get in trouble, and felt so terrible... after a bit of a hunt, we found the missing panties and shirt, and everything was all better:)
At dinner, we ate fish, and Faulanta threw up her broccoli, hmmmmm we haven't figured out if it was intentional or accidental, but 5 minutes after barfing, Rosette and I almost got run over by her because she was running past us... hmm.
Today was again very busy. Beth and I began the huge task of organizing supplies that sit in our "home" which is the bus. We organized clothes into sizes, marked them in proper places, and in about an hour and a half, made it through three out of about 15 categories that need to get done before we leave camp:) We then went straight to Wal-Mart with the kids to buy shoes. We had to size all of them, because they don't know thier sizes, and then proceeded in groups of 4 kids to buy all of them playing shoes. I think every time we go into a store, we end up basically buying out all of thier things, because when we left we had taken about all of thier cute size 13, 1 and 2 shoes. The girls were very excited about thier shoes, and the boys have cute black skater shoes:)
After getting back, that took awhile, i taught them "I've got a river of life" on the bus, and then the kids played outside. I then had the job of getting 16 girls showered... which was a large task. There are two showers, no where to put thier clothes, and 16 girls who are prone to lose thier things... Anyways, by the time they were all done, we had run out of cold water, the floor was soaking, and the girls were clean:) success! The only thing that happened was one girl accidently took Jackies shirt and undies, and she began to cry, terrified that she would get in trouble, and felt so terrible... after a bit of a hunt, we found the missing panties and shirt, and everything was all better:)
At dinner, we ate fish, and Faulanta threw up her broccoli, hmmmmm we haven't figured out if it was intentional or accidental, but 5 minutes after barfing, Rosette and I almost got run over by her because she was running past us... hmm.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Quote Board
Sept 11, 2007
"Who thinks we were flying to heaven?" Jackie raised her hand, on flying from Uganda to America
Sept. 13, 2007
"I'm thankful for my six pairs of socks"
"Do we use the inside washrooms or the outside washrooms?"- Faulanta
"Auntie, push me, i want to go over there, and way up there!"- Jane, on discussing my underdogs, which are becoming wildly popular
Sept. 14, 2007
"What did you see in Walmart today?" (Jenny asked after buying shoes in Walmart)... "Fat mazungus!"- boy from choir, who was completely serious
Sept 15, 2007
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."- Anna, age 7, before putting a large piece of broccoli in her mouth
Sept 16, 2007
"Hey kids, guess what we're having for lunch? Hot dogs! I want you to think about what you think hot dogs are!" Children "oh no! uncle, we can't have hot dogs, no no no no nooooo!"
3 hours later: Terese: " I promise you, this meat is beef, not dog." "Are you sure?" " Yes, I'm sure." "Do you promise auntie?" "YES, I promise!"- Terese and a table full of kids
Sept 17. 2007
"When I grow up, I want to marry a mizungu!"- Prisca, age 10
Sept 26, 2007
"Honey, let's let these little boys finish," - American mom to her daughter referring to three of our girls
Sept 27, 2007
"Auntie, my stomach pains me... i have to poo poo."- Jackie age 7, before hunching over and moaning her way to the bathroom after dinner
Sept 27, 2007
"Are they triplets? " " NO, their just from the African Children's Choir." - A guy asked me, i responded, about three girls aged 7,9,10, and who are definitly different heights
October 1, 2007
"Auntie, faulanta is poo pooing, and i want to susu, (pee) make her stop poo poo... aun-teeee make her stop."
"Auntie! Enid is cheating! Ahhhh, Aunteeeeee, she is cheating." during pictionary when Enid kept hearing Faulanta wisper what to draw too loud to Christine, so we all could hear and then magically was able to guess first try what the picture was...
October 2, 2007
"Aye, the cookies come out of this machine?" - Harriet, pointing to a mixer, expecting the mixer to spit out fresh cookies like a vending machine
October 6, 2007
"Auntie, the snow comes from heaven eh?"- Christine
"One step to arrived.... Aye, auntie, that was more then one step."- Jackie
"We loved having 'Eunuch' stay with us. "- Lady referring to Enoch who for some reason was calling him Eunuch... uhhh... haha!
October 8, 2007
Me- During class:"So children can you raise your hand and tell me some of the good things that wind does for us." "The weend, the weend takes our kites, and eet carries them into the sky, and they fly all around!"
"There's the squeals the squeals are there! Auntie, the squeals!" (talking about squirrels)- Anna, 7
"The mountains reach the moon eh?"- Christine, 10
October 15, 2007
"auntie! the car is crying, ahhhh seee, it's crying! (When a car alarm was going off)" - Jullian, 8
October 17, 2007
"Dear Lord, please be with Auntie Jenny, her home is in the hotel, please give her a host family to live in, because she always has to live in the hotel" - Margaret, 11
October 19, 2007
"Auntie, you have your goggles on!" - Anna, 7, referring to my glasses.
- later- "Auntie, where are your goggles? they are gone! your goggles, they are gone!"
During devotions- Uncle Vic- "Kids, tell me what you think God looks like?" "A mazungu?" "His face is shining, ah! it's shining!"
"Hummer Hummer Hummer! Sarah! Sarah! Sarah! Hummer Hummer Hummer!" - Joseph, every day of my life
November 3, 2007
Faulanta- "Auntie, that is a whole story" "yes, it's all one book". "Auntie, i could never read that much! But God could! " "Could I?" "No Auntie!" "Yes, i could" "Ahhhhh Auntie! No, you lie!" "K, i'll show you, you ask me next week"
November 5, 2007
Faulanta, while praying- "Dear God, please help us to obey our aunties and uncles, and to have good penmenship."
Faulanta-"My favorite kind of vegg-e-table is the one that looks like a tree."(broccoli)
December 1, 2007
"Auntie, how do you spell auntie screechin?" "Auntie what?" " Auntie screechin!" "No, Halima, it's auntie Gretchin!"- Halima, referring to a rather grouchy host family lady, the best part was she did it by accident and didn't know what screech means
December 5, 2007
"You look like the president of who? of who? of Uganda!" "Really why?" "Because right here, there is no no no hair!"- Jackie, talking with a host family dad about his baldness
December 4, 2007
"Ahhhh, auntie! Those things, they are cutting! Ahhh, Auntie!"- Jackie, referring to my hairy legs in the hot tub
December 20, 2007
Me- Does everyone understand that story?
"Auntie, what is a virgin?"
Me- "Uh, you know how you have to be married when you get pregnant?" Class two, "Yes!" "Well Mary was worried because she wasn't married, so she didn't know how she could get pregnant."
December 20, 2007
"Is this father Christmas?" "Yes! The one we will be seeing in the mall is the real father Christmas." "Well, is there a mother Christmas?"
March 6, 2008
"Auntie, what is a honeymoon?" Crystal- "it's like a vacation after your wedding." "What do you do?" "mmmm, you just relax and have fun." "no but auntie, what do you DO?"
March 8. 2008
Me- "I wanna marry a firefighter." Hudson- "Auntie, when i grow up i'll be a fireman and then you can marry me."
July 7, 2008
Jackie (in the car, while we're listening to music)- Those are grrrreat hormones!"
Me- "what did you just say"
Jackie- "hormones"
Me- "what??"
Jackie- "hooor mooones, horr mones, hormones!"
Margaret- "Nooooo Jackie, it's harmonies!"
Jackie- "Ahhh"
"Who thinks we were flying to heaven?" Jackie raised her hand, on flying from Uganda to America
Sept. 13, 2007
"I'm thankful for my six pairs of socks"
"Do we use the inside washrooms or the outside washrooms?"- Faulanta
"Auntie, push me, i want to go over there, and way up there!"- Jane, on discussing my underdogs, which are becoming wildly popular
Sept. 14, 2007
"What did you see in Walmart today?" (Jenny asked after buying shoes in Walmart)... "Fat mazungus!"- boy from choir, who was completely serious
Sept 15, 2007
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."- Anna, age 7, before putting a large piece of broccoli in her mouth
Sept 16, 2007
"Hey kids, guess what we're having for lunch? Hot dogs! I want you to think about what you think hot dogs are!" Children "oh no! uncle, we can't have hot dogs, no no no no nooooo!"
3 hours later: Terese: " I promise you, this meat is beef, not dog." "Are you sure?" " Yes, I'm sure." "Do you promise auntie?" "YES, I promise!"- Terese and a table full of kids
Sept 17. 2007
"When I grow up, I want to marry a mizungu!"- Prisca, age 10
Sept 26, 2007
"Honey, let's let these little boys finish," - American mom to her daughter referring to three of our girls
Sept 27, 2007
"Auntie, my stomach pains me... i have to poo poo."- Jackie age 7, before hunching over and moaning her way to the bathroom after dinner
Sept 27, 2007
"Are they triplets? " " NO, their just from the African Children's Choir." - A guy asked me, i responded, about three girls aged 7,9,10, and who are definitly different heights
October 1, 2007
"Auntie, faulanta is poo pooing, and i want to susu, (pee) make her stop poo poo... aun-teeee make her stop."
"Auntie! Enid is cheating! Ahhhh, Aunteeeeee, she is cheating." during pictionary when Enid kept hearing Faulanta wisper what to draw too loud to Christine, so we all could hear and then magically was able to guess first try what the picture was...
October 2, 2007
"Aye, the cookies come out of this machine?" - Harriet, pointing to a mixer, expecting the mixer to spit out fresh cookies like a vending machine
October 6, 2007
"Auntie, the snow comes from heaven eh?"- Christine
"One step to arrived.... Aye, auntie, that was more then one step."- Jackie
"We loved having 'Eunuch' stay with us. "- Lady referring to Enoch who for some reason was calling him Eunuch... uhhh... haha!
October 8, 2007
Me- During class:"So children can you raise your hand and tell me some of the good things that wind does for us." "The weend, the weend takes our kites, and eet carries them into the sky, and they fly all around!"
"There's the squeals the squeals are there! Auntie, the squeals!" (talking about squirrels)- Anna, 7
"The mountains reach the moon eh?"- Christine, 10
October 15, 2007
"auntie! the car is crying, ahhhh seee, it's crying! (When a car alarm was going off)" - Jullian, 8
October 17, 2007
"Dear Lord, please be with Auntie Jenny, her home is in the hotel, please give her a host family to live in, because she always has to live in the hotel" - Margaret, 11
October 19, 2007
"Auntie, you have your goggles on!" - Anna, 7, referring to my glasses.
- later- "Auntie, where are your goggles? they are gone! your goggles, they are gone!"
During devotions- Uncle Vic- "Kids, tell me what you think God looks like?" "A mazungu?" "His face is shining, ah! it's shining!"
"Hummer Hummer Hummer! Sarah! Sarah! Sarah! Hummer Hummer Hummer!" - Joseph, every day of my life
November 3, 2007
Faulanta- "Auntie, that is a whole story" "yes, it's all one book". "Auntie, i could never read that much! But God could! " "Could I?" "No Auntie!" "Yes, i could" "Ahhhhh Auntie! No, you lie!" "K, i'll show you, you ask me next week"
November 5, 2007
Faulanta, while praying- "Dear God, please help us to obey our aunties and uncles, and to have good penmenship."
Faulanta-"My favorite kind of vegg-e-table is the one that looks like a tree."(broccoli)
December 1, 2007
"Auntie, how do you spell auntie screechin?" "Auntie what?" " Auntie screechin!" "No, Halima, it's auntie Gretchin!"- Halima, referring to a rather grouchy host family lady, the best part was she did it by accident and didn't know what screech means
December 5, 2007
"You look like the president of who? of who? of Uganda!" "Really why?" "Because right here, there is no no no hair!"- Jackie, talking with a host family dad about his baldness
December 4, 2007
"Ahhhh, auntie! Those things, they are cutting! Ahhh, Auntie!"- Jackie, referring to my hairy legs in the hot tub
December 20, 2007
Me- Does everyone understand that story?
"Auntie, what is a virgin?"
Me- "Uh, you know how you have to be married when you get pregnant?" Class two, "Yes!" "Well Mary was worried because she wasn't married, so she didn't know how she could get pregnant."
December 20, 2007
"Is this father Christmas?" "Yes! The one we will be seeing in the mall is the real father Christmas." "Well, is there a mother Christmas?"
March 6, 2008
"Auntie, what is a honeymoon?" Crystal- "it's like a vacation after your wedding." "What do you do?" "mmmm, you just relax and have fun." "no but auntie, what do you DO?"
March 8. 2008
Me- "I wanna marry a firefighter." Hudson- "Auntie, when i grow up i'll be a fireman and then you can marry me."
July 7, 2008
Jackie (in the car, while we're listening to music)- Those are grrrreat hormones!"
Me- "what did you just say"
Jackie- "hormones"
Me- "what??"
Jackie- "hooor mooones, horr mones, hormones!"
Margaret- "Nooooo Jackie, it's harmonies!"
Jackie- "Ahhh"
More firsts for the kiddos
Today, we spent all day doing stuff, of course..:) but the highlights definitally were...
First clothes to own:
Finding and labling 2 pairs of pants, 2 long sleeve shirts, a t-shirt, PJs and a sweatshirt and socks for 26 kids is a daunting task-- We had our little "store" set up with piles of clothes we had organized, some new, some used, all donated from churches. Each of us chaperones took one kid at a time, and had them try on clothes until we found outfits that would fit for them... it took several hours, but the kids are now sporting cute, American playclothes! the girls in particular, were excited about this, and i kept catching them admiring themselves in the mirror, and shaking thier hips in thier little cute jeans.... i think one of the girl was wearing silvers... do they even make silvers for kids? but anyways, they are very excited about thier new wardrobe:)
~first time playing soccer with so many mazungus
i played "football" (soccer, for those of you uneducated americans:) with the kids. it was a blast! after awhile, a couple athletic looking guys came over and asked to play, and it was hilarious to watch these tiny kids play with us, and these soccer players:) i then caught filanta, a girl in my choir yelling at one of the soccer players... she was giving him the buisness, and if you knew filanta, it would make it funnier, she's got a personality of her own:) and she's extremely full of energy! that was fun
~first campfire
it turns out that there's another group here from moody bible institue in chicago here for a retreat. so they of course, wanted to hear the kids sing..:) so we took the kids down for thier first campfire, and worship/singalong! they were very excited, and i know it blessed the college studnets a lot! these kids are not afraid of worshipping the Lord, they truly are passionate about worship, and i think it made the college students stop and think:)
First clothes to own:
Finding and labling 2 pairs of pants, 2 long sleeve shirts, a t-shirt, PJs and a sweatshirt and socks for 26 kids is a daunting task-- We had our little "store" set up with piles of clothes we had organized, some new, some used, all donated from churches. Each of us chaperones took one kid at a time, and had them try on clothes until we found outfits that would fit for them... it took several hours, but the kids are now sporting cute, American playclothes! the girls in particular, were excited about this, and i kept catching them admiring themselves in the mirror, and shaking thier hips in thier little cute jeans.... i think one of the girl was wearing silvers... do they even make silvers for kids? but anyways, they are very excited about thier new wardrobe:)
~first time playing soccer with so many mazungus
i played "football" (soccer, for those of you uneducated americans:) with the kids. it was a blast! after awhile, a couple athletic looking guys came over and asked to play, and it was hilarious to watch these tiny kids play with us, and these soccer players:) i then caught filanta, a girl in my choir yelling at one of the soccer players... she was giving him the buisness, and if you knew filanta, it would make it funnier, she's got a personality of her own:) and she's extremely full of energy! that was fun
~first campfire
it turns out that there's another group here from moody bible institue in chicago here for a retreat. so they of course, wanted to hear the kids sing..:) so we took the kids down for thier first campfire, and worship/singalong! they were very excited, and i know it blessed the college studnets a lot! these kids are not afraid of worshipping the Lord, they truly are passionate about worship, and i think it made the college students stop and think:)
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Showering Lesson
Although I only arrived in Indiana two days ago, I'm amazed at how much we've done.... The first night here, I stayed in a little Amish community called Berne, IN where I actually had the pleasure of seeing two carriages. Indiana is extremely flat, which is kinda eery sometimes, but very beautiful. There are all different types of farmland, mainly cornfields here and so many wide open spaces! I love being in the country!
Yesterday, the group of western chaperones did a ton of preparations for the kids arrival today. We packed thier new backpacks with PJs, bathrooms stuff, a laundry bag, etc and did hours of lableing and sorting clothes. Then today, the kids came! We waited quite awhile in customs because they are a huge group, but the finally showed thier sweet faces! We then had the task of trying to keep them awake while driving 2 hours to the camp... yikes...:) When we finally arrived our next large job, which will continue all week was helping them adjust to America. We spent several hours teaching the kids how to take a shower, how to brush thier teeth, that you must wear pajamas, and seriously, with 26 kids, it's quite a job:) We were all working like crazies all day, but now, the Africans are sleeping off jet lag, I am sitting outside of the dining hall with wireless becuase it's locked:) but enjoying the sound of crickets, and some other undistinguishable bug I can't quite figure out...
I'm so excited to work with these kids. It's a little overwhelming right now. It's amazing how much work being a parent is, and I'm seeing how my every facial expression and tone will be noticed by these kids. I'm so excited to see what God has in store. For this week, we're just hanging out at the camp, but doing a lot of final rehersals, and tommorrow have the big job of giving out clothes...:) So there's lots to do, but it's really exciting!
Yesterday, the group of western chaperones did a ton of preparations for the kids arrival today. We packed thier new backpacks with PJs, bathrooms stuff, a laundry bag, etc and did hours of lableing and sorting clothes. Then today, the kids came! We waited quite awhile in customs because they are a huge group, but the finally showed thier sweet faces! We then had the task of trying to keep them awake while driving 2 hours to the camp... yikes...:) When we finally arrived our next large job, which will continue all week was helping them adjust to America. We spent several hours teaching the kids how to take a shower, how to brush thier teeth, that you must wear pajamas, and seriously, with 26 kids, it's quite a job:) We were all working like crazies all day, but now, the Africans are sleeping off jet lag, I am sitting outside of the dining hall with wireless becuase it's locked:) but enjoying the sound of crickets, and some other undistinguishable bug I can't quite figure out...
I'm so excited to work with these kids. It's a little overwhelming right now. It's amazing how much work being a parent is, and I'm seeing how my every facial expression and tone will be noticed by these kids. I'm so excited to see what God has in store. For this week, we're just hanging out at the camp, but doing a lot of final rehersals, and tommorrow have the big job of giving out clothes...:) So there's lots to do, but it's really exciting!
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