THURSDAY UPDATE!

WE STARTED OUR DAY ON THURSDAY BY VISITING THE ORPHANAGE WHERE MYLIAH AND ALL OF THE CHILDREN IN OUR GROUP WERE BROUGHT TO. THE ORPHANAGE IS CALLED KIDS CARE. WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT AND WERE QUITE SURPRISED BY THE CONDITION OF THE PLACE WHEN WE ARRIVED. WE WERE GREETED BY THE DIRECTOR, ASTER, WHO BRINGS NEW MEANING TO THE TERM "CHRIST LIKE". SHE HUGGED ON ALL OF THE CHILDREN AND THEN INVITED US TO LOOK AROUND. WE WENT TO THE KITCHEN AREA FIRST WHERE A LADY WAS WORKING ON TORO. SHE WAS SIFTING BIG BASKETS FULL OF WHAT LOOKED LIKE KERNELS. WE PEEKED INTO THE KITCHEN WHERE WE FOUND ONE 4 BURNER STOVE THAT THE COOKS USE TO PREPARE MEALS FOR UP TO 60 CHILDREN AT A TIME. FROM THE KITCHEN WE ENTERED THE SCHOOL ROOM WHERE THE CHILDREN WERE BUSILY WORKING AWAY. AFTER CLASS, THE CHILDREN CAME OUTSIDE TO PERFORM SEVERAL SONGS FOR US. IT WAS PRECIOUS SIGHT! WE THEN ENTERED THE NURSERY AREA WHERE THE BABIES AND TODDLERS ARE HOUSED. THE FIRST ROOM WE ENTERED WAS AS BIG AS OUR BATHROOM AT HOME AND IT HAD 4 CRIBS TUCKED IN THERE WITH AT LEAST 3 BABIES PER CRIB. THEY WERE VERY TINY NEWBORNS AND SOME WERE BEING FED WITH BOTTLES PROPPED BESIDE THEM. THE NEXT ROOM WAS FULL OF 6-12 MONTH OLD BABIES WHO WERE QUIETLY PLAYING ON THE STRAW CARPETED FLOOR WITH NOT MUCH MORE THAN A BALL. THERE WAS ONE NANNY IN THE ROOM. WE PLAYED AND LOVED ON SEVERAL OF THEM! WE PROCEEDED DOWN THE HALL TO SEVERAL SMALL ROOMS WHERE THE WALLS WERE LINED WITH CRIBS FULL OF PRECIOUS LITTLE BABIES. IT WAS HEARTWRENCHING TO SAY THE LEAST! THERE WERE JUST SO MANY BABIES! OF COURSE, WE WANTED TO BRING THEM ALL HOE WITH US. WE THEN ASKED IF THEY COULD SHOW US WHERE MYLI HAD SLEPT AND WE GOT TO MEET THE NANNY WHO TOOK CARE OF HER. SHE LOVED AND KISSED ALL OVER HER AND SAID SHE LOOKED SO VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY. WE WERE INVITED TO A COFFEE CEREMONY AND WATCHED AS THE LADIES ROASTED THE COFFEE BEANS AND THEN MADE THE COFFEE WITH SUCH LOVE. THIS WAS ONE OF MY BIGGEST FEARS AS I DONT DRINK COFFEE BUT CERTAINLY DID NOT WANT TO OFFEND THEM AFTER THE HARD WORK THAT IT TOOK TO MAKE IT. MARK TOOK MY COFFEE AND PREPARED IT AND WHEN NO ONE WAS LOOKING, WE GAVE IT TO ONE OF THE OTHER MEN IN THE GROUP AND HE GLADLY DRANK HIS SECOND CUP! AFTER THE COFFEE CEREMONY WE GOT TO MEET THE SPECIAL LADY WHO IS IN CHARGE OF MATCHING ALL OF THE CHILDREN WITH THEIR FAMILIES. OUR MYLI HAPPENS TO SHARE THE SAME NAME, FREHIWOT. OUR TOUR WAS OVER BUT WE DIDNT WANT TO LEAVE. WE ARE FOREVER CHANGED AND A PIECE OF OUR HEARTS ARE THERE FOREVER!
WE LOADED UP ON THE BUS TO GRAB SOME LUNCH AT BLUE TOPS AND IT WAS GREAT! MYLI WAS A GOOD GIRL AND MARK AND I SHARED A BURGER AND FRIES!

I DIDNT KNO HOW HONORED AND BLESSED WE WOULD BE AT OUR NEXT STOP. WE WENT TO THE ADDIS ABABA FISTULA HOSPITAL. THE HOSPITAL WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1974 AND THEY ARE DOING A MIRACULOUS WORK FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN OF ALL AGES. THEY SPECIALIZE IN TREATING THOSE WITH CHILDBIRTH INJURIES AND VICTIMS OF RAPE. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO RESEARCH THIS SUBJECT AND FIND OUT WHAT GOD IS DOING FOR THESE WOMEN AND CHILDREN. IT IS TRULY AMAZING!!

AFTER RETURNING FROM OUR LONG DAY OF VISITS, WE HAD A NICE BBQ DINNER AT THE OUTSIDE DINING AREA AT THE HILTON.

P.S.- YOUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING, MYLI IS RECOVERING NICELY AND WE THINK SHE WILL BE READY FOR TAKEOFF ON SATURDAY.