Our days are beginning to follow a predictable pattern. Sue, Rose and I get up at 7:00, have breakfast, and walk next door to Agape House, where the children are up and just finished dressing. We play with them for a while, and Rose meets with the social worker to get information for the biographies she's been asked to write. Today was 'cold' (I'd guess 70 degrees) so we kept the kids in again, and bundled them up in sweaters. Part way through the morning they all sit down for a snack, then try to use the potties. This is followed by more play, then at about noon, they have lunch. At this time we usually go back to the guest house for our own lunch, then Rose, and sometimes Sue and I go back over for bath time. Once the kids are washed and redressed, they go down for a nap, and we are finished with the children for the day. This is usually around 1:30 or 2:00.
Our afternoons vary. This is the time we have gone to a 'real' grocery store, shopped at the street vendors, ground corn for the farm animals, did a show for the neighborhood, etc. Rose often plays with the neighbor kids: four Agape children who are in the process of being adopted. Starting soon, Sue will be using some of these afternoons to start a homeschool program for these four kids, trying to do as much prep as possible before they go to the US.
We usually have our supper around 5:30, then sit out on our porch. At this time the neighbors are usually around, and outside with us. There's always a pack of kids who want to play with Rose, and since the show, some of the neighbors have come over to hang out, too. Last night this included one of the Somali refugees who lives across the street.
A couple times we've had Simon, the security guard, come in after dark- sunset is at about 7:00. His story is amazing, and I want to tell about him some other time. He came to the city from a very remote village.
This has certainly been our most unpredictable mission trip ever, and we trust that God is using us even when we might not know one day to the next what will happen after our mornings at Agape.