A lot has happened in the last couple weeks! The director/co-founder of Village of Hope was here for a couple weeks. She was a lot of fun to have around. She even treated all of us to Macaroni and Cheese- KD for the Canadians ;) and spam. It was so good. Last week we to the school's music, dance, and drama competition. We got to ride there in a cattle car with the tubs of beans and rice for the kids. The kids did so well, we were all like very proud mothers. When we arrived at the school where the competition is, everyone saw us white people and swarmed us. It was one of the most memorable things I've experienced. Some of the kids there had never seen white people before. As soon as I reached out my hand to shake some of the kids hands, nearly 50 hands came at me. We felt like celebrities, always being watched. The kids received first place so tomorrow they are going to the next level of competitions. We're hoping we can go to see them perform. It might work out to pay for sometime to drive us on a motorcycle, or "boda" as they call it. We've gotten to ride a couple times and it was a lot of fun. It reminded me of some video game, having to maneuver all the pot holes and go around vehicles and people.

I just counted that there are 8 days left at the Village counting today. My parents are coming tomorrow which I'm really looking forward to. Pray that the rest of their traveling will go well. They got delayed in Chicago because of thunderstorms.

It seems weird to be leaving here after spending a lot of time here with the kids. Some kids know that I am leaving soon and are already asking when I will be coming back. I think it's hard for them to understand how difficult it is to come and visit. It's really cool seeing how healthy, friendly and intelligent these kids are. Knowing some of their backgrounds, and seeing where they are today is amazing. It's hard to imagine them as the same person. One of the boys here, Norman, was forced to kill his parents because of the LRA. I see him today and his brother and sister, and can't even picture what they have been through.

I asked the director about the 11-year old girl Mercy, who I had mentioned earlier. I was really curious about her story. She told me that Mercy's parents were killed by the LRA. Mercy had told her all the places her father was cut. I'm guessing she was there when her parents were killed. Her grandmother took her in, along with her younger brother. But her grandmother was too old to take care of her, so she went to one of the IDP camps (internally displaced persons). Today she is at Village of Hope and doing really well. Miracles do happen.

faces

Lawrence having fun with the guitar I brought through DuncanAfrica

enjoying Novida (pineapple-flavored) pop.. so good!!

Aunt Janelle balancing a bag of mangoes on her head.  

Kari with David. He has the cutest squeal laugh :)

Rachel

Cute little Aaron. He's a lot of fun. :)

Me and my friend Mercy. So precious!

Goofy girls. Rebecca, Ruth and Innocent.

A little boy from Mile 8, a small town a mile from the Village. He always runs up to us and waves whenever he sees us. I like him. 

Riding in the back of the pickup on the way to the Nile only 8 miles away.  Kari on  the left, with Kayla in the middle, obviously having a good time, and Tanya, the leader of one of the missions teams. 

Our girls (cousins plus one) hut! Erin, Jenna, me, Kari and Kayla

When the crocodile becomes President.

It's Sunday afternoon here. I imagine most back home would just be getting up for church. As I sit inside our mud hut, I hear the rain and the voices of some young boys nearby playing Uno, or as they call it "Huno." These boys always come by our hut asking us for the Uno cards. They just love it. (These boys are in my facebook profile pic.)

We said farewell to the second team that we have had the pleasure of being here with. The team said goodbye to everyone at church. Some of them were slightly teary after there week of being with the kids here. I thought to myself how much harder it will be for us being here a lot longer.

I wish I could share with all of you the true beauty of the people here. I was observing yesterday how beautiful their smiles are. My little friend Mercy is 11 years old. She's a bit more shy than the other girls, doesn't jump at the chance to dance, like most of the girls do, but loves singing songs. She's taught me quite a few songs, one of them is even in Acholi. It doesn't take too much to make her smile or laugh. She is just precious. I was sick one morning -I learned the lesson to not take my malaria pill first thing in the morning- and when Mercy heard from Kayla that I wasn't feeling well, she came running to my hut to see me. She also told me when she was talking with her friend Sheila, Sheila said to her, "Victoria is my best friend." "No," Mercy replied, "Victoria is my bestest friend in the whole wide world. When the crocodile becomes President, then she will be your best friend." Turns out Sheila was referring to Kayla instead of me. It was really cute. :)