This has been a day of mixed emotions ... We started off with a girl's day w/ Katie ... All 3 of us just filling our cups w/ laughter and lots of CHATTING about life, kids, and orphans of course ... The girls just played around us and we enjoyed the comfort we find in being such great friends ... It is as if NO time has passed since we were together... It is a relief not to have to pretend on ANY level ... Suzanne, Katie, and I have hearts intertwined by God ... We all lead different lives, yet on some level they are the same and it is that SAMENESS that brings us JOY ...

We come back to our room and JOHN JIGO calls us from Sudan ... (Remember he is the man, who makes all of our 147 bags) ... He has not been home in over 28 years ... He had been feeling like his heart was empty since his mother passed away in Sudan and he had not seen her since he was 7 ... When he called the JOY immediately jumped out of the phone ... He was rambling so fast about how he spent the day at her grave site and prayed and then visited all of his family that is there ... He screamed over the phone, "I am so happy, happy, happy."  John gushed about how he was with his people and his heart was full... Suzanne and I laughed and almost cried at knowing we got to be a part of healing his heart and helping him to find the JOY that had been missing ...

We were having a fun and joy filled day when we headed out to dinner and saw a BOTA (aka motor-cycle accident) ... It was a hit and run.  The two men on the motorcycle were fine, but it jolted us ...In a foreign country where there are just not the same rules ... Four other BOTAS chased after the truck to make sure he was reported ... I felt bad for the man, whose BOTA was now crushed ... You see I know that is how he feeds his family by driving people around ... What will he do now ???  It was all very disturbing

 We then went with Katie to the hospital ... She is a regular there taking sick people to get care, medicine, or stitches on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis ... We watched her care for someone w/ such kindness and strength ... The hospital had nothing to offer the person, but a bed and a doctor ... Katie took bedding, food, extra clothes, and comforted them ... I will never complain about taking Maggie to the hospital again ... To say the hospital was sad, scary, and depressing would be an understatement ... It reminded me of a jail cell ... Four concrete wall, chipping paint, metal bed, and one small window ... The only reason this person had a private room was because of Katie ... We prayed over this person and left ... We all sat in the car for a moment in silence ... There is so much to take in when I am here and I don't think I can ever fully process all that I see ... Even yesterday when Katie treated a burn victim's leg (whose house was set on fire), I was in awe of how she cares for the LEAST of these ... This person would have no where else to go for this treatment ... His leg was fleshy and raw ... Most people could not stomach even once what Katie does on a daily basis ... And here she was sitting on the floor gently loving this man's leg ...

From JOY to heartbreak RIGHT BACK TO JOY !!! Thank you Lord for piercing my eyes and my heart for your people ... Please protect Katie as she serves you !!!

A COUPLE OF PICTURES FROM THE WEEK SO FAR ... Will be going into the village tomorrow w/ Katie to buy more necklaces and visit w/ these amazing mothers !!!