structure is here!

Today we woke up and ate breakfast at the Restricks house (which is just on campus, about 2 ft. away) :) and we watched a little bit of the work and witness team while they provided dental care to those from the campus. They are such sweet people and it's really awesome to see their ministry at work.
While we were sitting in there, Tomas, our site coordinator, told us that we had a meeting to attend. At that meeting there were four others who are in charge of two church districts in Maputo, they were, Osvaldo, Elvido, Narciso, and Olivia. They went over all of the things they have planned for the next two months and explained how their churches work. Hallelujah!- we have some structure!! :) So we all sat down at picnic benches and looked at our Portuguese schedule! (we'll have it translated later today) and saw that we are helping with their youth -(children through any unmarried people) programs on Saturdays and Sundays. Also on either Wednesday or Thursday (depending on the week) we will also help out with various things. I am excited because they are so eager to learn how we do things in America, and add some of our structure to their own, but also are eager to show us how they do things here. They really want to have the best for their people and try to supply them with the best resources... they are so happy we are here.. which is so humbling and also an honoring experience. They have agreed to help us with Portuguese if we help them with English. It's really awesome that we all seem to be in the same boat.
My teammates have been awesome.. and especially us girls have gotten really close. They make me laugh a lot, so of course we have fun :) Laughing makes the frustrating moments so much easier. They both have such sweet spirits and really are beginning to feel like family. We've laughed about how we have already made it half way around the world together and been in three continents.. that we better feel like family! We also tend to laugh a ton as we creep into our bunk beds at night and escape undr out mosquito nets! Oh its a sight, a very funny one. We have lots of bugs at night and had our first experience with a lizard! We say, "oh, T I A." (Oh, this IS Africa) :) haha. We love it though, so much!

So today in about 40minutes, the kids will get out of school and we will play with them until dinner, I'm sure.

(about their school: I wanted to say that we sawtheir school for the first time today. The people hereare SO resourseful. They have used three shipping cartrigages (big metal bins that hold materials) all put together with a roof above them all as their school. It is almost like portables, but definitely not as sturdy. They are SO proud and thankful for them... they told us that they were SUCH an answer to prayer because school used to meet under the big tree, every day from 8:00-3:00.)

They don't know English and laugh when we try to thank them with "Obrigada," but even though we don't know Portuguese, they give us a ton of attention anyway. They are all so precious in their own way.
Rhoda Restrick is in the process of setting up their Sponsership Program because none of them have families that can support them. We will have the honor of helping Rhoda with that... I can't imagine what that will be like to see Sponsership cards with the faces of so many children I have already grown to love so mcuh. They are unbelievable & are so thankful of what they have. Some have their little behinds hanging out of shorts that barely stay on... however, they just fasten another safety pin on and run off on their way. Others have holes in their shirts that show their bloated black bellies, which all happen to be very ticklish. :) The things they wear we have seen everyday because there is not a selection for them. Most of them run barefoot through the sand and rocks (which is what all of the ground is made up of here.) Never the less, they sing. They sing praise songs in Portuguese, of course, that they learn at the school here. They don't just sing softly... they scream praises. They are so beautiful. I love them.
They are so blessed - but also give me such more of an insight of love. These children are in need of our gifts, our resources, our time, our love. I am so thankful that they are learning the word of God. They love to sing: God is so good. "Gaud is su gooooood."

Anyways, I have tried to upload a couple of pictures, but our internet is very weak and won't load them. So im not sure if it will ever happen before I get home, but we'll see.
Have a great day! We'll talk to you soon.
Love Always, Allyson