July 8th

July 8^th,

Today has been relaxing. The kids were overjoyed that we came back to stay 2 more nights. They were so smiley at devotion this morning. Pastor said so many of them could not concentrate on school yesterday and were crying.

We did not have a plan for the day. We wanted to help wherever we were needed. The children attended school until 1. Some of us went to the market to buy food and donated supplies to the orphanage. Some of us cleaned and I baked and cleaned. I stayed with Pastor Bensons wife Florence and cleaned her kitchen after we ate breakfast there. She and I also made rolls together. She was laughing because they kept sticking to my hands. She said my hands were too soft and that I needed more flour. Mine still never turned out like hers. We carried 6 pans down to the oven. We loaded the stove with charcoal and baked them.

It was a real beautiful day. We packed up all our things to get ready for the airport tomorrow. I took a nice little nap. We broke up in to groups and we talked about the story of Joseph. This is such a relevent story to them. God brought Joseph out of prison and made him ruler over many and saved millions of lives. God has not forgotten one of these children. He brought them from the brink of death living on the streets and used Pastor Benson to do this. These kids are so greatful, especially the ones that remember where they have come from. Not one story is the same. Parents have passed away, they have abandoned or abused their children, they have been left in the care of relatives who could no longer take care of them, and the stories go on....

We will never forget the stories. Duncan is the oldest boy here. His mother died when he was young. His father was an abusive alcoholic that abandoned him at the age of ten along with his 2 other siblings. They were given food by the neighbors until they got tired of it and called the authorities. They were picked up and taken to a Remand Home (Juvenile detention center). The government does not know what to do with the abandoned and orphaned kids so they take them to Remand homes. This is also where kids that have committed crimes go. Thankfully, they were rescued and taken to Fiwagoh. Duncan is everywhere here. He shows love to others without ceasing because he says that he was shown great love when he first came here. I have seen him running errands, caring for the smallest child here, preaching, baking, cleaning, hauling luggage. That is a thankful heart and one that does not forget where he has come from.

Teresa is one of the older girls here. Her parents died when she was young and her grandmother was struggling to care for her. Her aunt convinced her grandma that it would be best if she lived with her. Here is a real life Cinderella story. Teresa was forced to do so much work at the hand of her aunt. She never let her go to school or sleep on a bed, she had to sleep on the floor. The aunts 2 daughters were given royal treatment while Teresa was kept as a slave. Three years she lived like this before the grandmother found out and brought her to Fiwagoh.

Every child here has a story. It breaks your heart to think of the scars they carry with them. God redeems his people and he created each of these kids for purpose. If they carry on in the footsteps of Jesus they could be the vessel that saves thousands of lives like Joseph and probably like Pastor Benson and his wife. We are so thankful to be here and to be a part of these precious lives. They all wrote us letters that we have and have prayed that we will write them back. I do hope we can continue in relationships with these awesome kids and that their faces and stories will never leave us.