I'M ALIVE... I have not fallen off the planet!!!

Lovely readers of sporatic Blog Writings,

Please forgive how long it has been since an update. What a crazy 3 weeks it has been. I would love to tell you all about all of the amazing experiences but I just don’t have the time. Everything takes three times as long as usual (and that seems fast). For the three weeks I will try to tell three stories.
The first week of July I spent being an assistant wedding coordinator. Two of the long term missionaries here got married on 7/7/07 (the bride is friend from last year). But this was not a normal wedding. About 1000 people came to the ceremony and well over 3000 came to the feast. The most amazing part was that there were no riots and no body got hurt. My job was delegating the 120 volunteers and ensuring the wedding day ran smoothly from beginning to end (and I did all this with a wounded foot, I’ll tell that story when I get home). It was an amazing experience not just stretching my ability to lead and delegate but also stretching me personally being so involved in a wedding. I feel that God is doing a restorative work in my heart and my life. It is so beautiful to be made new again!!
The second week of July, I watched as my roommates were transformed one by one. It is very hard to explain but as they arrived here in June, each of them were facing a point in there relationships with God where they were SOOOO hungry for more of Heavens reality in there lives. During this second week I saw each of them break through into amazing new beginnings… So very Amazing.
This last week was completed with the opportunity to go on another outreach. No Baboons this time but it was still amazing. At one point we had so many people in the truck (48, in the back alone) that it took us 45 minutes to drive about 10Km… mind you it was up a hill and the road was no wider than a sidewalk most of the way. When we arrived at this village I felt so much at home. I can’t really explain it. We had no sound system and we were ‘forced’ to spend time getting to know the people. I found myself often wondering what it would be like if the truck just drove away and I had the privilege to just stay with these people with no other westerners and no way out. Maybe I will find out one day?!?!?
The day is quickly slipping away. When I spoke to my dad last he told me that I had to blog and even if I did not write a word I had to post pictures. So here are some pictures and I will explain at the bottom.
Love and Peace and Blessings Abundant
Candace
PS YES, I STILL LOVE IT HERE!!!!!!!!!
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At the Top: Another beautiful Sunset
Pictures from Outreach: 1) My view when I open the window of my tent in the Morning
2) their view when I open the tent in the morning
3) Me trying to pound something that ended up in dinner (I have no idea what I was pounding though)
4) The road that was barely wider than a sidewalk
5) A child standing upon a termite hill
6) A little Boy that proves that Little Boys are the same all around the world!!
7) These girls traveled like this for about 45 minutes on the very bumpy roads... It was fun when I tried it!!! (don't tell mom, but at least I didn't fall off and get run over)

10 Weird Happenings that are Normal Here

(pictures on the left: a random african clothin store; A car went through the wall and into our water storage closet)

As I sat and enjoyed breakfast this morning I realized that I noticed a lot of things here that just don't even cross my mind at home. Here is a small selections of these weird things:
2) I put on my flip flops first thing in the morning, before even going to the bathroom or getting dressed.
3) I average 1 shower a week and have discovered that the other 160 people that are here also average 1 shower a week!
4) The application of deoderant is forgotten 7/8ths of the time (and no one notices)
5) I dip my breakfast bun into my jar of peanut butter because it seems safer and cleaner than using the knife!!
6) As a group we talk about bathroom adventures at every meal!!!
7) As a house we have leg shaving parties where we all gather aroung the same bucket... (group leg shaving is just not normal)
8) I have a small celebration everytime the running water runs (it means that I can shower and flush all the toilets)
9) I brought with me a lot of clothes and I have found that I am only wearing 2 outfits because doing laundry by hand is unfun
10) I don't even notice the fact that the women next to me are breastfeeding while walking and talking
11) I have noticed that even when one does not have bowel issues, they still celebrate after every 'movement'
12) Nothing here starts or ends on time (hence the numbering)

Also I want to introduce you all to my friend Walt...

... he is a ring worm that has taken up residence on my right cheek... (ring worm is actually a fungus not a worm)... I named him so that when he succefully dies, I know what to write on his tombstone... No peace for walt the wormy, you must DIE


One last thing that is not normal here but I am not complaining:
I have been here for 4 weeks and I have lost 20 pounds without being sick or changing my diet or being more active than normal.... Plain old amazing and I love it!!!!

Blessings and an abundance of laughter
Candace

OH ya... I LOVE IT HERE

Chaocity of Everyday Life in the DIrt

Today is Saturday and I am amazed that it is already June 23. I am equally amazed that I have not even been here for 4 weeks yet. It feels like months have past. The past sentences are totally opposites but both equally true. How can I sum up the past week? It has been chaotic and wonderful. I wish that I could describe what busy is like here… hurry up and wait and then get confused and lost in translation and then go back to square one and try again with hurrying and waiting and miscommunicating. What an adventure!!
I seem to be growing leaps and bounds every week, at the same time my body seems to be getting smaller (or my clothes are getting bigger). This week I seem to have grown a lot in relationships (no, not with anyone in particular). I am learning way more about missions and about life this year. It is truly all about relationship and about sharing your story. I have learned so much from people just by listening to their stories.
Speaking of relationships, I have the privilege to be a dorm parent this year. Let me introduce my roommates to you. Starting with the youngest, Brandi-lin is 19 years old. She is from New York State and happens to be the grand daughter of one of the men that founded ‘teen challenge’. On the bunk below her is Bec, a 29 year old accountant from Australia who lives in England. On top of the next bunk is Kat, 22 a nurse from North Carolina (how convenient). Below her is Deane. Deane is 60 and from Virginia. Every single one of these wonderful women have amazing lives and amazing stories and it is an honour for me to get to live with them. They are all so sweet and encouraging and I am learning what love looks like through them.
The five of us live in the third room in a row of dorms. The three rooms total 15 women and we all get to share one washroom (3 toilets and 3 showers, if all are working) and one kitchen. Life is truly an adventure. I will tell you one story and post some pictures and then I must go swimming!!
When I was here last year, my heart grew a special spot for a wonderful little village boy. Karimu is about 9 or ten and when I met him he liked to hit, kick, and beat others just for fun. One day he came and hit me, and that just stole my heart. I chased him down and grabbed him and hugged him, he wiggled and squirmed and then he fell asleep. All summer I would love him and hold him and love him some more. A couple of weeks ago he found me again. He ran up to me, this time not hit me but to throw his little body into my arms. He has improved even more in the past year. Last year he barely spoke at all and did not understand Portuguese let alone English. Last week(ish) as I was walking to my kitchen with my breakfast bun, he ran up beside me, grabbed my hand, and said in perfect English ‘give me your bun’… my heart melted, Karimu could understand me!!! Of course I did not give him my bun and allow him to beg but I did hug him and squeeze him and told him I would share my lunch with him later that same day.
Everyday that I am here I am convinced more and more that I belong exactly where I am!!!!!
Blessings and Peace be upon you...
Candace

PICTURES:
1) (at the top) Sunset of the WEEK
2) Where's Whitey???
3) This is me and my buddy Fred the big BUG
4) Cute boy wearing my tilly hat
5&6) a couple of Beautiful Makua women and their Babies