continually playing catch up

So, I know I haven’t been blogging a lot lately and a TON has happened since I’ve blogged last. I don’t want to make this one as long as the last, but here goes nothing.

When I last blogged, there was a Visiting Orphans team here. Also, there were days that were draining in the clinic. But now, since the VO team left and the Equip1 team is here, it’s gotten better and crazier, all at the same time.

Nowadays, we wake up and go to worship, breakfast, and then clinic. Clinic seems to get harder and harder each day emotionally. But, at the same time yet again, it’s truly AMAZING to see the change in the children’s wounds and their emotions as well. For example, on Sunday, we had a little boy come in and he cried and cried for 45 minutes straight before we even got to the painful stuff. He is only 6, so it was hard to deal with putting him through pain even though it would make him better in the long run. Anyways, the next day he came in he cried, but it wasn’t as long as the first time. Plus, he had good reason to cry because a needle was being put through his sores to pop them. During this time, he would never smile and would just give us a blank stare every time we saw him. The day after that, he came in (willingly) and did exactly as he was told without waterworks. Yesterday, he came in and actually SMILED at us. Although he was still going through pain, he managed to put a smile on his face. Finally today, he WILLINGLY came up to me and let me tickle him. I heard him laugh and that brought a smile to my face. It’s so amazing how you can see the change we are making in these children. That sweet little boy started out as a crier who never stopped (even when we took a walk around the compound to cool down). Now he laughs and smiles at us. I guess we are just seeing little miracles each day. Also, we see miracles in the wounds we treat. Some of them seem like they will never get better. Others seem like they shouldn’t take as long to heal. Either way, the Healer puts His hands on these kids and continually makes it all better.

After clinic, we have been equipping different areas of Fiwagoh. Some are helping the teachers; others are helping the cooks, sewers, and a few others. I help with the teaching. We have been teaching math games for the kids using cards.

In the afternoons, we have been helping the kids make flip-flops (or slippers, as they call them). They get to tie fabric on the straps to “pretty them up.” While some of the team is helping there, I play on the field with the kids not making the flip-flops. We’ve played freeze tag, what time is it Mr. Fox, Frisbee, and tetherball. On a side note, basically no American can beat a Kenyan at any physical activity. (But, I managed to win one game of tetherball out of the 12 I played).

After worship every other night, we make all the little kids go to bed, and only the “seniors” (oldest kids) get to stay in the room. During the time with the seniors, we just focus on them. They have so much responsibility and we want them to be loved on and to be a kid (and have fun while doing all of that). So, we play spoons, chairs, and have story time. I love getting to focus on the older kids who don’t normally get focused on.

On an unrelated note, all I can say is that God does miracles for our team and for everyone at Fiwagoh daily. We had one of the biggest miracles happen yesterday. It just reminds me that we serve a GREAT God, and He is always looking out for us. He truly wants the best for us and works for our good.

I would go into greater detail, but I don’t have the time or energy to do so. I end each day completely energyless. Each day is a challenge to get through. Seeing the wounds and hurt is hard some days. Some days, I wish I could just make it all better, but I’m learning that it’s a process. Even though it is tough, there is nowhere else I want to be than right here, loving on the kids that continually steal my heart and make me smile. Their letters, smiles, and their hugs melt my heart. With each day, the relationships grow stronger and the thought of saying goodbye gets harder.

I want to ask y’all to pray for all the kids here at Fiwagoh, especially the kids in the clinic and the ones with HIV. At this point with some kids, we have to accept the fact that  things have to get worse before they can get better. Also, please pray for our team (Equip1 with 15 team members) as we go throughout this journey. We have been blessed beyond belief. God clearly wants us here helping everyone at Fiwagoh. I couldn’t be happier to have been chosen to be on this team with each of the members.

Oh, and I just want to say thank you so much for the prayers and encouraging words. Y’all are awesome! Tuti oh na na badai! (That means “see you later” in Swahili for y’all non-Kenyans out there)