Last one done!

Sorry it has bee so long… hi everyone…

 

It has been a whirl wind of activities the last few days.  Schaun is here with the pastor of our church (dave) and he brought two others with him.  Brooke is an 18yr. old young lady that is going to stay here for four months.  Becky, i know you are watching, so i will tell you, she arrived just fine.  I helped her exchange some of her money and so far, she is doing great.  She is overwhelmed a little, but doing fine.  She moves in with me today.  I saw her chasing around one of the girls on her first day (looked like a revenge type ‘run’) so, i think she is going to do just fine. 

 

 Two other ‘garage dwellers’ go home today.  L  It will be sad because i can not imagine how seven different people can live together in such close quarters and never have an argument, it just all worked out somehow.  They have been wonderful.  I will really miss them. 

 

I have been busy making home visits in Motherwell and giving out all the last of my supplies.  There are a ton more toothbrushes to give out now, so i was nearly mobbed by people wanting them.  I am planning on going to my village today and checking on everyone that i have on medicine and say my goodbyes. 

 

Tomorrow, we are going off of the ‘world’s highest’ bungee jump.  Yikes, i hope i have the courage to do it… i will keep you all posted.  The boys are going to do it as well (james may not be able to, but he might be able to do a ‘zip line’).  Should be interesting.

 

Yesterday was phumlani’s birthday!  18 years old now.  He is still working and still loving getting a pay check.  Man i will miss that boy.  Putting on my make-up will never be the same.  He has been hugging me at least twenty times a day saying ‘please don’t leave’, ‘i love you so much’, ‘please can you stay’,  ‘please can i go home with you’.  That hurts so much.  But i have to respond strong ‘phumster, you will be just fine, you will grow, have your own family and one day i am going to come and visit you’.  I have an appointment set for him at the end of aug. to see about his neurofibromatosis.

 

Also, mission accomplished with the final child tested.  I can tell you the story now.  The final girl (who backed out of being tested a few times) had plenty of reason to be worried.  She cared for her dying mother, changed her bandages, slept in the same bed, shared the same ‘worms’ from her mother’s sores in her sores.  She was constantly exposed to her mother’s HIV.  In fact of everyone, i was the most worried about her.  But yesterday, she said she was ready to test.  So i scrambled around and called someone to meet us somewhere and we did it!  We did it in the backseat of a car, but we did it and………. Praise God, HIV negative!  The girl folded in half with relief, bawled…..we all bawled… i can not imagine the pressure she felt when she was about to get the results that could change the rest of her life.  But she faced it and it worked out in her favor.  I have never felt so honored to be witnessing such courage and strength that this girl showed. 

 

Well, all my goals have been met.  I have done everything i wanted to do and then some.  The last thing on  my list is to sit with each of the kids here and tell them what they mean to me and my family.  I will see them again one day, i know it! 

I will update again soon.  Lots of love to you all,

Thanks for your support,

Jennifer, joseph and james.