Bring on the Kids198/365

After our late arrival at Sias, we were tired.  These were our beds.  Honestly, we might as well have been sleeping on the floor.  One thin hard mattress and one comforter.  It really didn't cut it for me.  But, who am I to complain.  I wan't there to stay in a fancy place, I was there to love on some kids.  I just changed my perspective a little and realized that this really was a step up from camping, and there weren't any bugs, so I could consider it my palace.  Then it was off to breakfast.  I had more fun watching the faces of the college students at breakfast, because they were caught a little off guard.  I had told them when in doubt stick to the cucumbers.  I followed my own advice and had cucumbers and rice for breakfast.  Little did I know at this point that it would also be lunch and dinner.  After breakfast we played some games getting to know the other volunteers and translators.  Then we were matched with our translators for the week.  Shortly after it was time for the bus to arrive with our sweeties.  I love it when the bus comes.  I had already gotten a good look at the kids we were going to have this week, so I knew that unloading the bus wasn't going to be easy.  I really have a lack of pictures from today because it is a crazy one, but at least I did capture my two girls, so let me introduce you.....

This is Rebekah.  I quickly learned that she was going to be adopted and would be headed to Florida soon, so I was excited to get to love on her for a week before her forever momma would arrive.  Rebekah has a delightful personality.  She by no means is a girly girl.  She is a little shy and really doesn't like to be touched.  (I can't wait to see all that fade away in the next few months.)  However, she is engaging, purposeful and serious.  She is 8 years old and so small for her age.  It didn't take me long to be absolutely smitten with her.

Then I got this 13 year old, who we will call Susan.  She couldn't get off the bus, so she was one of the last ones off.  As they carried her off, they sat her on the seat of her walker.  She sized me up once or twice, then gave me a look back letting me know she was going to be one tough cookie to crack.  Seriously tough.  She did her best to ignore that I was even there and wanted instead to play with her friends.  She was determined to shut me out, but little did she know that I know that game really well, after all I am an educated adoptive mom.  So, we both decided we had a challenge.

Monday consisted of lunch, family pictures, lice treatments, swimming, dinner, assembly, then bed.  We pretty much just went through the motions of trying to figure each other out.  Mondays are always a little overwhelming.

After all the meetings were done and the kids were tucked into bed, I couldn't wait to hear what the girls had to say.  I was actually looking forward to it, because I knew they were all going to feel overwhelmed. I should have taped them, the words coming from their mouths were comical to me, but serious for them.  I listened as they whined, and chuckled while one was "trying to figure out what kind of sick she needed to be so she could go home."  After a while of it, I told them that no matter how they felt now that by Wednesday they would feel different, and that by Friday they would be in tears.  You see, it's that comfort zone thing I was talking about.  They were all way out of theirs, so I knew God was going to completely transform the lives of these ladies this week, and I was going to get to be a spectator to God's mighty work.  How cool is that?  So while Mondays are tough at camp, I LOVE MONDAYS!!

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah 6:8