Entry 14- 7/9/08

Tonga: Ba-lesa Ba weme, Mama yo yo yo, Ba-lesa Ba weme, Mama yo yo yo

English: God, He's good, Awesomeness, God, He's good!

Today was another incredible day of ministry. We spent the entire day with children who will soon be members of the orphanage. I played with many children, but one in particular touched my heart. A little boy named Mike! He first appeared to me as sad and unsure. So I picked him up and hugged him. I spent time loving him. I spun him around and made him laugh, I tickled him, I held him close. He was just a beautiful child in so many ways. And he was so happy to be loved.

After an exhausting and joyous day here at the orphanage, Pastor Malala and his wife met me in town. I went with Simeon just to walk and get some snacks and just sort of think things out after such a wonderful experience. We met up with the pastor and he took me to Magrimondi again. I met a woman HIV positive with 3 children. Her husband has been deported and he is not able to come back. She currently has no home. She is squating in a partially built house which was very cramped and primative. Every day she goes out and gathers grass. She puts it in bundles and makes brooms which she sells for a small amount to make a living. On top of all this, she is building a house out of dry mud, shaped with a paint can and stacked up to build walls. She has no roof and can't afford it. The roof needs to be put on by a man and the total cost is about 390,000 Kwacha. I asked the team to help me raise the money which is about $100 and we raised $122 dollars. I've seen strong women before.. Like mom and Judy Conrow. But this woman was so special to me. She's lost her husband and is taking care of 3 children and her elderly mother. The baby she carries around in a sack on her back, and breast feeds when she needs to. Because of this, the baby is also HIV positive. I also learned that the government wants to develp this area. so they are selling land plots to people who can build nicer houses, like those we have been seeing made of bricks and consisting of more than one room. That means that people like this woman who can't afford that type of housing will eventually be forced to leave and their houses or huts will be destroyed. A life filled with such turmoil and yet she just keeps on going, looking towards brighter days.

God truly gives us strength. He will not forget this woman and neither will I.