Introductions - and a bit of our 1st day

Introductions:
Jano and Chrissie - the couple we are staying with
Mugabo - their precious little son - he's 2
Marcel - friend of Jano and Chrissie; he'll also be our translator when we need one
[pictures coming soon!]

Today's happenings -
breakfast... and my first (and LAST!) experience with Marmite. [more to come on that topic]
visited the Mother Teresa Orphanage with Chrissie, Mugabo, and Marcel
saw where Chrissie works with an AIDS/orphans organization
made a home visit to a friend of Chrissie's who was injured in a work accident
saw Jano's work briefly - World Relief
came home and had dinner with Jano, Chrissie, and their friends from the UK (Chrissie is also from the UK)
chatting til evening

this morning when i woke up, i laid in bed for a while listening to the neighbors and the songs on their radio use a language new to my ears. the birdsongs were new too. everything is so very new to me that i'm just taking it all in. observing, but not understanding yet. gathering bits of the big picture and soaking in more to fill in the many missing spaces.

so i left the orphanage and the home of a person without access to pain medication - knowing that i don't feel the weight of these things yet. i don't have the bigger context.

the orphanage seemed like a daycare to me. some children were dirty, and there were crumbs on faces, tables, and fingers. but they had just finished eating. they'd have better care in homes, but i didn't see open wounds or hear children screaming or smell uncleanliness. my impression comes without knowledge. each of these children were abandoned... mom and dad aren't coming after work to take them home for dinner and family time before bath and bed.

i can't fathom that yet. i haven't seen enough.

so my understanding of the deep pain and of the immense beauty of these people will grow together. that feels right. i'm excited for our days here. i'm especially eager to hear the stories of marcel and jano & chrissie as they share more with us. they shine. they are truly beautiful with humility and Christlikeness. i know i will grow to love my Savior more through shared time with them.

to those who pray - thank you for your prayers! our God hears.
~nancy