We just dropped off loved ones at the airport last night. Mike's brother Jeff, our niece Olivia, our daughter Haley and Kelsey's dad, Joe, arrived two weeks ago. Those two weeks flew by!!
Then again, so much happened during such a brief stay. Four new babies came to the orphanage, we had a widow distribution, a sponsorship gift distribution. We visited both children sponsored by Jeff's and Joe's families, went out to children's homes to take pictures for sponsorship, and Jeff spoke at two different churches. There were elephant adventures, baobab adventures and moto adventures. We played with children, held babies and had a movie night with the kids. We ate chicken and fish under flashlights, negotiated purchases at the market and had african fabric turned into custom fit clothing. This just covers some of the highlights! And although I can describe what happened in a two week period, it is harder to describe the feelings and changes of the heart that some of these experiences evoked.
I think it is best captured in some of these photos.
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| On the way to distribute grain to widows |
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| Delaney, Haley & Mike with Poko, one of our widows |
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| Village Bible Club |
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| Joe vs. The Baobab |
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| Haley loving on one of our toddlers |
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| Elephant sighting! |
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| Kelsey & Joe with Frank. This was Joe's first time meeting the child they sponsor. |
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| Jeff with his sponsored child, Mouniratou |
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| Kelsey surrounded by some of our babies |
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| Olivia learns what it's like to be an African mama |
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| At the orphanage with one of the boys, Ferdinand |
Kelsey returned to the U.S. with them after four months with us. We will miss them all as our house will seem a bit empty. We are excited that Haley is staying here with us for the ext five months. We are happy for the memories made and for the memories we have yet to make.
