So I am giving a pre-warning: This post is going to be sparatic and all over the place, but I'm just trying to get one last update out!
Things these past couple weeks have been CRA-ZAY!!!! All the staff have been on holiday which means we have taken on all of their responsibilities... YIKES. It has been so exhausting even with all of us working hard together, and has given me much respect for the women on staff here. But this being said, I have had extremely little time on the computer.
The team from my home church Heartland had been here too during that time, and it was very fun getting to know them and hang out with them. They were an awesome group and so helpful and fun! But they just left :(
Sarah also left a few days ago, and she has been very missed here! It was so great having her here with me this summer. The kids love her and still will go into our room and say "Saraaaaaaah" (Sarah they love you and miss you, come back).
Hawa has been doing so wonderful. She has been gaining weight, and she laughs and smiles now. She is actually sitting on my lap right now sleeping :) I love her so much. It's crazy how last summer Telma entered my life and I got to help nurse her back to health and this year is a similar experience with Hawa.
Seeing Telma this year has been so wonderful. She is a normal little girl now: loud, beautiful smile and laugh, talks A LOT, throws temper tantrums, plays with the other kids... she is just so amazing, and it is so AWESOME to see how God has changed her and healed her this past year. I cannot wait to see Hawa next year and how much she has grown in a year.
The other baby Antonio (Tony), that I had the picture and post about earlier is also a miracle baby. He survived and a week or so later they decided to let us take him in for them. He was very ill and the mother said she hadn't fed him in a few days, and she had given him diarrhea medicine as food! He I am also happy to report is doing so much better and so healthy.
So I came here without my addiction to Diet Coke, but I am unfortunately returning back to the US with my addiction back. I don't have any funny stories this summer but I have met a good friend at the store where I go to buy them every day, Florence. She invited me to her house the other day and fed me and gave me a purse. She is wonderful. I have had a lot of interesting food experiences this year, but I'll have to share those at home. I'll give you this tid bit though: Had to eat a whole small fish (multiple times), eyes, skin, bones and all was there before me. One of them had very tiny bones that were hard to pick out and went a couple days with a bone stuck in my gum of my mouth... yes, my diet has definitely been expanded this month.
The same two boys will not leave me alone this summer :) One has told me he is moving to America in a couple years and to please "give him hope" that there will be something between us, and the other told me he wanted to marry me last night. I told him that you can't marry somebody you don't even know...
I leave tomorrow, and I absolutely cannot believe this month has flown by so fast. I feel the Lord has blessed and grown me through this trip so much and am so thankful for all He has done for me. This summer I've gotten to do even more here, and have seen His glory even stronger than last summer. I just cannot even express how blessed I feel that he has let me experience this. Although it has been tiring, and I've been sick off and on, it has been one of the best months of my life so far. The Lord is Good. I have grown so much closer to Him and have had to depend fully on him for so many things here this summer. I just am so grateful.
I've had to say a lot of goodbyes and it has been very hard, and I'm not looking forward to tomorrow AT ALL. I have especially gotten closer to Pieter and Rika and Allison this year, and it is going to be very hard leave them. And obviously I do NOT want to leave the babies. I don't want to leave... SHOCKER. But I know without a doubt this time, that I will be back. I know God has great plans for me here, and I cannot wait to see them revealed.
I love you all and am very excited to see and talk with you all when I return. Thank you so much for all of your love and support and prayers and e-mails. They have all been so encouraging. Please pray for safe travels! I will be home in 3 days! Peace out.
~britt
