July 18 from Lesia Goddard & Jeff Bausman

Hi Everybody,
Lesia and Jeff here blogging on Emilys name, because we could not get our pass word to work..surprised! It Wednesday and the trip has been exhausting but exilerating!! When ever we think we can't go any longer a child (Copii) gives us a hug!! It is 103 breaking records, GREAT!! Rusty made us some ice by filling a baggie with water and putting in our refrigerator with duct tape that hold the door shut. We knew an engineer would come in handy!! We are working with a local church which has been great and challenging due to the language barrier. We are very glad they are here, it appears they are bonding with the kids and hopefully will help them when we are gone.
Breakfast everyday is frozen yogart and cereal. Lunch is ham and cheese, cheese and ham, peanut butter, ham and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and HAM and CHEESE!!!! Dima said not to forget the honey and ham and cheese. Dinner is Potatoes and Chicken, Chicken and Potatoes, ETC., ETC., ETC. YuMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
Now to the most important part, the kids (copiii). They are so incredible. Every morning we get together for a skit based on a bible story, then small groups, then crafts, recreation, and organized chaos!! Then we rest. Eat about 6pm, worship, put the kids to bed and hang out with them. It took a couple of days for them to warm up. They have never seen Americans before, but last night I got a hug and a kiss from every child that I tucked in. It was very special.
Jeff spent an evening with a translator from the local church and a group of boys. They wanted to know if we had airplanes and fish in America. They wanted to know what America looked like. I told them about mountains, water falls, deserts. They did not understand desert or sand. They have not seen it. The children love any time that we spend with them, even when its 100 sitting a worship service. Fortunately we all smell GREAT!!!
Now Darlene Wier is here!! Hey, good thing that Emily is sharing her blogging space. The time is is truly life changing. These kids are beautiful and very loving. The conditions are beyond bad and it's so frustrating for me not to be able to communicate. I want so badly to tell them all about Jesus but you have to trust that the Holy Spirit will speak for us. The children attempt to speak words in English and you can't help but want to sqeeze them, because you understand that they want to communicate with you just as bad. We are taking so many pictures so that we can share with you all that there is to see here. The country side is beautiful...but the conditions are very poor. Every morning there is this busy activity on the streets and you see the horse drawn carts carrying family members or sometimes hay for the animals. What a sight. It will be hard to leave these children, as well as our translators, we have come to love them all. Well I will stop for now, our drivers are waiting for us. What an experience, so awesome!
Darlene