We certainly don't feel like this is anything like our home but we are getting feel more comfortable and getting into a routine. This might give you some idea of some of what happens each day but no way can I tell all the little things that amaze and give us goose bumps. Internet is not constant so my updates may be few & far between so the ones I do get sent will probably be long...sorry...
Daily Routine: The kids start waking up about 4:30 & at 5 the singing begins as they gather in their church for morning worship. Then without seemingly any direction, they start getting ready for school. Around 6:30, time for rice breakfast & filling their lunch container with, you guessed it, rice. 7:30 a small pickup pulls in the drive way and the kids scramble to get the outside or front spots. When the truck is loaded--really way over loaded as several kids are standing on the tailgate--off it goes taking 39 (honestly we counted) kids to the local school. The three dogs and eight kids left wave until they are out of view. We get served breakfast by Memaw and Chom which makes me feel like a royal guest instead of a helper.
By 9, I am working with 5 of the kids still here while Elsi either plays with the 3 little ones or works on the piano keyboard. The guys are out looking for the project being worked on so they can help out. Right now it's fencing & a fish pond. About 10:30, I start an art project that all 8 kids can do. Today it was cutting with scissors. Yesterday it was playing with clay. By 11:30, we need a break & soon lunch is served. How much rice can one eat?? Lots judging by what Cireo (1), Johnny (2) and Cireo (3) can put away! Little ones take a nap after lunch so Elsi & I take our cold shower which actually feels pretty good. Next I try to spend individual time with MuMuSoe as she is not in school because she just arrived two months ago and has to wait until semester break in May before she can go to school. She is very bright and is learning quickly which thrills her and me. Around 3, I set up an art project which by then end of the night about 30 will get to do. At 4, the school truck pulls in and within ten minutes, music & English lessons begin. Elsi has two students who are stars. Tessanne had ask me to work with Sarod on his English. Just a few minutes into our first lesson, two other kids joined in...without anyone telling them they had to...and another one joined us five minutes later. They are so eager to learn. If Rog or Bob are around--they help me out as working with four at different levels is tough. The other kids are all busy doing various jobs including their own laundry, watering plants, working in the garden or helping cook. At 5 I have to shoo my students out so I can get going on the art project. Six is dinner time. Seven is worship time again--Elsi sometimes plays several songs and then the kids sit quietly while they listen to the local teacher...we can only guess they are learning bible stories. Eight and beyond, the kids just do there own thing. There are older girls in charge of the three little ones who will put them to bed in a bamboo building set up with little rooms that house the little one & the older girl. Many kids gather in Tessanne's "living room" for games and/or TV until sometimes after ten. Everything seems to run so smoothly and often you hear singing and laughing. We are continuously amazed at how independent the kids are and how much they care for each other.
Info on some of the kids:
Cerio: An Austrialian who has done a lot for Safe Haven asked Tessanne to name him Cerio after his son who died. Cerio:
Christmas: Local official called Tessanne on Christmas and asked her to come to town to get a gift. It was a 3 day old baby. He is so spunky and loves to strip down to only a shirt.
Christmas:
Johnny: Johnny was found abandoned lying on a banana leaf under a tree in Burma. He was brought to the orphanage by some villagers in 2008.Johnny:
GaDee: 16 year old who seems to be mentally challenged. She stays here all day and is the most loving and dedicated "mother" to the three little ones. Her father beat her.
Sarod: 16 year old working so hard on learning his letter sounds and also piano lessons
PaSam: 15 year old star piano student who also recently won the school art contest
Kids Toys:
We took an inventory of the toys we've seen:
plastic phone
bottom half of toy car
spool
one doll
back wheels of tricycle
bamboo stick they cut slits into to make popping sound
4 or 5 tires
soccer ball
volley ball
homemade sling shot
3 or 4 marbles
hundreds of bamboo sticks, rocks, dried leaves and various empty containers...
BUT now, thanks to Bob's donation from his collection, last night the kids went to bed with a beannie baby to hug!! Tessanne and two girls who have asked to be baptised got a special stuffed animal from Cailan (Bob & Elsi's granddaughter). She had attached a written heartfelt note & bible verse to each.
Safe Haven #2:
Tessanne went shopping & came home with a truck loaded with 50lb rice bags, huge bags of whole fish, cabbage, cucumbers, green beans & blankets. After about half of it was unloaded, she called for us to jump into the back of the truck. We drove about two miles and then pulled into a driveway that ended at a cliff. I looked around and wondered where we were and then looked over the cliff and there we got a glimpse of several bamboo structures nestled in the jungle valley between two mountains. Tessanne blew a whistle and suddenly in the distance we could see children walking single file up the 500 ft mountain side. The line seemed to go on and on. It was so surreal. Each child bowed to us as they reached the top and I could not help but hug as many as I could. Tessanne gave each a blanket which they squeezed tightly as she spoke briefly to them. Some slung the rice bags on their backs and other picked up the fish & veges and then they left. Quietly. In single file. Disappearing as they headed back to their Safe Haven.
Things that made us smile today:
Boy with home made sling shot hitting 100’ target
Boy pulling his index finger way back & then using it to fling a marble
Girls stuffing pillows up their shirts & pretending to be pregnant
Girls with pillows wrapped in blankets & pretending to be carrying babies
Boy finding a seed & instantly planting it
Big girl picking up crying young kid & letting him take over painting her picture
Bird poop right next to our suitcase--but must admit large open vents provide great ventilation
Though we really can’t describe this place & the feel that abounds here--we know we’ll never feel the same nor will we be able to forget it.
