Yeah and hallelujah - I finally have internet in my house!!! Yes, can you hear me shout?!?!

Ok, but get this. It only took about 3 months to get it hooked up. For real. Poor Dan, our missionary computer whiz. He had so many challenges in getting us hooked up to wireless on our compound. The electricity would go off. Or the current would be too strong and would blow something. Or the cables were too short and we had to wait for missionaries coming from America to bring new ones. Or the rains would come. Or the back up battery charger would die. Or I would not be at home at the moment Dan had a second to hook me up. Or Or Or.... ok folks, appreciate your internet.

And so then what happens? Yesterday, ta da, Dan does his magic and I have wireless in my house!!! But, oh yes, my computer battery charger got fried because the stabilizer hooked up to my electricity had a short - sending too much power into my charger and poof. No battery. No internet. Can you believe it?

So. Now I have a couple of Nigerian guys 'fixing' my charger, but you can bet my Dad is already online, ordering one to send with the Chicago Team coming in 2 weeks.

My neighbor, Lauren, fell asleep while we were watching a movie on her laptop (cuz my dvd player also got fried - but I think that actually will be fixed by one of my friends). So, while she snoozes, I stole her laptop so I can get online in my house (!) and get a blog posted. This is fantastic. And a new beginning to my blogs, I hope.

The plan was to send a blog out every week, at least. To use my blog as a way to just be real about life in Nigeria.

Well, folks, when it takes me getting into my truck and over to the office to get online and then to try to download pics and... ok, so I got lazy, but as soon as my computer is up and running, or whenever Lauren lets me snatch hers, I will be back in the Blogging Business, better than ever.

Kid Update -
I just love our little kids. We had a debate today about whether or not we should watch Karate Kid 2 at tomorrow's 'Film Night', or to allow all the kids to vote on which movie to watch. I was able to bring a projector out here and now have the whole set up of speakers and such so that we can watch a movie on the 'big screen' (large white sheet) under the stars. Last month we watched Karate Kid 1. The older boys were kinda bummed cuz they had already seen it. But man, our little ones had a blast. And wouldn't you know, they were doing 'The Crane' afterwards!

All that to say, Aunty Erin agreed with the little ones today that they should get to see Karate Kid 2 because the older ones "always get their way". And as we agreed on this, some kids started breaking into the moves.

Road Trip

I spent the last week traveling to three of our Care Centers that are in different parts of Nigeria. The purpose of the trip was to give them Hep B vaccines, assess their health and nutrition, and collect information on new children.

I am still reeling from all that God showed me, the tragic things these kids have gone through, the magnitude of our responsibility to care for them, the commitment of the Nigerian staff to live very simple lives in pursuit of giving these kids hope and a safe place to live.... so much that I am still processing. We just got back into Jos a few hours ago, and I am shattered and ready to crash. But I wanted to post a few of the pics I took...

Pic #1 Care Center Makurdi - is located in a village. These children live near the center and I saw them one morning, drawing water from the well. They were laughing and talking and were thrilled to have me 'snap' their picture and then show it to them afterwards.

Pic #2 Unlike the boys in our Urban Center in Jos, the other centers are in small towns or villages and the kids do not get many visitors. In fact, we were the first visitors in a year to visit two of the centers. The kids are starving for love and recreation. I was able to take them puzzles and UNO and coloring books that were donated by folks in the States. Here is a pic of them, all gathered under the one light bulb available.

Pic #3 The staff and I interviewed all the new children and did updates on the ones who have been in the ministry for over a year. It was heartbreaking to hear why the children are not living at home - so much pain and rejection and tragedy - but also a lot of joy and hope.

Pic #4 Here's a group of our young ones in their school uniforms. You can see that the shirts are full of holes, yet the kids proudly wear them because they know that the chance to go to school is a huge blessing. All kids in Nigeria have to pay school fees each term and many families cannot afford it. Our ministry also struggles to make ends meet to send all of our kids to school.

More to come....