One week down

Not a lot has happened since I last updated this blog.
We went on our outreach to the bush - that was pretty great. definitely redeemed all my negative experiences with outreaches from the last time I was here, haha. We got to sing a ton of songs with the kids, and dance, and play games with them. then when they were showing the jesus movie, I just cuddled with a couple kids (whyyyyy didn't I think of that before?!! it TOTALLY made the movie way less annoying to sit through! haha) and then after the movie we prayed for a ton of people, and the majority of them got healed!! we didn't have a translator, so every person who came for prayer just showed us what was wrong on their bodies - touching their ear, or their head or their stomach.. Sarah, our friend rachel and I prayed for a woman who told us something was wrong with her eye, and when we were done, she started dancing around, and looked SOOO happy (mozambican women rarely show emotion, so that was huge!) and ran right up to the mic and told her story to teh whole village in makua. so something pretty cool must've happened! haha. a lot of the other kids we prayed for too said they were better, and went up to the microphone to tell everyone about it! super cool.

other than that, I've just been spending lots of time with the kids here. the kids over at Noviana (the community in the village just outside the Iris base, where our church raised money to build them a community area and stuff) are SOO beautiful! so timid and quiet and happy. I love hanging out with them. as soon as we're done on the internet we're going over to see them for a while, so that's exciting.

I've also been able to spend LOTS of time with Namuna, and get to know some more of the village kids. some of the older Iris kids are teaching sarah and I more portuguese, which is GREAT because I've been frustrated at myself for not spending more time learning it when I was at home for the past 2 years. but I like learning it from them so much better. :)

alright - as usual I'm out of time. life is great here in pemba. I'm getting back into life here, and it's wonderful. you don't realize how much you get used to living as a "westerner" again, so I've been working on getting back to Pemba-Jen, because that is definitely when I am at my best, hehe. I love the way life is here, and how relaxed, and un-stressed and carefree it is. *smile*

hope you're all stayig warm back at home!!

can I just start this blog by saying that I think it is absolutely hilarious that I don't even have to sign in to blogger on these computers?? I'm STILL signed in from 2 years ago!! hahaha. I just type in the website, and it goes right to my account. haha. and also that Rhianna is blasting in here right now. bahaha. I love it.

ok. so, as usual I've spent too much time reading emails (I love it! keep em coming!!) and haven't left enough for writing in this blog. so I'll just write a bit about what's been going on.

This trip is pretty different for me than last time. as a student I had stuff to do and places to be every day, and hardely had time to get to a computer, or even to catch a moment by myself. but this time I have nothing but time! I have to go in search of things to do, and that's a little different for me. stretching. but still good, I suppose.

the most exciting news of the trip so far is that just after I updated this blog the other day telling you that I hadn't seen Namuna yet, we were heading out to lunch and just as we were leaving the iris compound I saw her running towards me!! she collapsed into my arms and cried, and I just held her for SO long, trying to keep myself together. it was by FAR the best moment of the trip so far. I love that girl SO much, and she has occupied so many of my thoughts in the 2 years since I was away from here. it was SO great to see her, and that she remembered me. we've hung out every day since, and hopefully I'll get to see her a little later today.

I'm using every single bit of Portuguese I can remember from the last time here, and trying desperately to learn more so I can communicate with the kids better. I definitely wish now I had spent more time learning it when I was home. but what I remember can get me by.

I've lost all but 1 of my nose rings already, haha. so my plans of still having my favourite piercing when I come home may not be as realiztic as I was hoping. ahh well... I can always get it repierced a 4th time... haha.

I've had a couple nights where I could just go away with some friends and play music, or listen in on a worship practice.. nigths that remind me just how much I LOVE this place for what it is. the music, the beautiful people, amazing harmonies, distinctive african rhythm... *sigh* it's so good.

and so warm! haha.

I think we're going out on an outreach to the bush this afternoon - that's where people usually see the blind eyes being opened, and the deaf people hearing. all that good stuff. so as you guys are just waking up (it's just quarter to 6am there!) be praying that that goes well, and leave me lots of comments!

*love!*

WE'RE HERE

So here I am! Back in this cute little internet cafe - which unfortunately it seems like the AC isn't working today, so we're sweating like pigs. haha. mmm, wonderful. haha.

We arrived yesterday afternoon, and spent the day getting organized, and rested. It was a long trip here - I forgot how much that initial travel takes out of you! I'm just a little bit jet-lagged this morning, but the excitement of being here makes it ok. I've seen a ton of kids I know so far - most remember me, and a couple don't. I haven't found Namuna yet, or my friends from the HG school - they're all away in Beira on an outreach, and will be back sometime next week. So in the meantime I'll be busy trying to adjust to the heat, and making NEW friends!

It's definitely different being here as a visitor and not a student. Unfortunately I don't have time to get into it right now - we just have 1/2 an hour before we have to head back to the base for a meeting about Mieze (where hopefully we'll be headed later this week to visit the goats our church bought last christmas, and all the kids there!).

So for now - Bom dia! We all made it alive and well. I'm adjusting - it's different.. I forgot that it's not all easy, but it's just day 2. No complaints here!! Just wishing I could see friends, mostly. :)

Peace & love!