july 19th, 2006

True fact: I have an addiction. Pinterest. So addicted that I push off blogging. My hubby [jokingly] says it is a waste of time. Maybe. But it can also be a great resource. I use it for my "preschool" ideas and activities. And for DIY projects. And for day-dreaming about the little girl I may never have.

July 19th, 2006
"Our group got to Mungassa at 9am. The weather was perfect! The sky was white with cloud and mist. It was amazing. I jumped out of the Landrover into a misty rain that felt very refreshing. Since our group had finished tying grass the day before, the only supplies we had to carry to the community center were the tools we needed to finish the roof and far wall. It felt like it had been an eternity since I last walked down that path but it had only been four days. Walking down the path again some how felt different. At the center site, I sat on the reed grass. That is about all that I did for the three hours that I was there. The only tasks that remained were finishing the far wall and finishing the roof; I could do neither because of my foot. I didn't even feel like singing and playing with the children within the village... Our group moral was low today.
Photo courtesy: Stacy G.
"The kids we fairly good at the baby orphanage - slightly misbehaved but not on their worst behavior. Elaina was being particular tonight. Part of the time she wanted me to hold her while another part of the time she wanted to wander on her own. Typical three year old. Linda brought out paper and crayons for the kids to use which turned hectic. Little grubby black hands reached at Linda's face for paper. Many of the kids grabbed a crayon each, but others continued trading crayon colors instead of coloring. Elaina was being a color switcher, but after a while, she came and sat by me. I wrote her name on her paper, which she then scribbled over. One by one, random kids would come up to me and shove their paper in my face. I took their crayon and drew the child on the paper stick-figure style. When several of the kids saw my drawings, I was mobbed.
"Amude, the guard, came up to me and said he had a present for me. He held out his hand and in his hand laid a bird! It started to fly away but was caught short by a string attached to its leg. I just laughed and poked at the bird - never actually touching it. Soon, many people in our group were around, looking and laughing at the bird. At my insist, Amude and Eric set the bird free."

Wow. Completely forgot the bird incident until now. How cruel?! But it was not harmed (other than the string around its leg) and it was freed. So glad I wrote down so many details. Even if some of them are in regards to drama or negative feelings. Which I have been screening. Some feelings are too personal to share. And some are just too... pathetically "pity party".