What a day! What a day!

This is Pastor Kristina writing tonight since Josh has headed off to the mountains for the second part of the Gaylordsville UMC trip.

Really this should say, "What a two days! What a two days!" (Go with me here.) We had our chance to get down to hot and sweaty work Monday morning, but were beat to the worksite by many of the villagers who were already hacking down the grass with machetes and mixing the concrete for blocks. The guys were eager to break a sweat! They were impressive! You would have been proud of them. Barbara jumped into it as well with both feet. In one moment she was bandaging cuts and attending to other minor medical needs; the next she was shoveling cement.

We all managed to find many ways to stay busy. We spent time with the children picking up garbage, playing, dancing, laughing, talking. Mostly, it was just great fun and a holy experience to spend time with the children. As someone said tonight during reflection, "I see God in the eyes of the children."

Today was somewhat a repeat of yesterday yet totally different. The nursery wall started to go up today! Four blocks high on one wall so far! Much success! In preparation for the activities with the children in the afternoon, the children started bringing the desks, stored at one school, over to the other school. David and Brian were two who got drafted by the children to help with this task. One can only shake your head to watch the competition that went on between the two. It is interesting to watch grown men benchpress a school desk. It got a lot of applause and laughter. Betty--one of our friends from Florida--had a group of a half dozen little children help her move desks, too. What troopers!

This afternoon was a delight in the classrooms. We met the principal and some of the teachers along with the children. In one room Dagmar taught how to make bracelets with floss, in another room Rae Ann led the children in making paper chains. I had a room with activities. We "did the hokey pokey and we turned ourselves around" among other games. We figured out how to put just about everything in and out of that circle!

The singing was wonderful! What a joy!

In the meantime a mass of other children were out in the field playing soccer/futball with David and Brian. The kids had a blast (that would include Brian and David).

Jay is walking on air tonight because we PLUGGED IN the lathe and IT WORKS! Electricity! Never take it for granted! Training has begun. Another God moment among the many today.

Our Florida friends Debbie and Betty as well as our WUMC friend Bill went to Accra today to make a Rotary Connection and celebrate the work they are doing. We look forward to there story.

We also look forward to hearing from our friends Joseph Ewoodzie, Pastor Marion, Joshua and Allie to know that they have made it safe to their next destination after a very long ride north on rugged roads to Tomale (sp?). We are all thankful to see that Allie is feeling much better now after having had a bout of sickness.

We are happily exhausted now. It has been a day of seeing God in so many ways. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. We hold you all in our hearts. Many stories to share when we get home.

Blessings on the journey, PK