What is Black, Purple, Blue, Red, Swollen, and Dirty?...My Ankle!

The first day we were at MAHOTT, the girls were carrying water on their heads so I thought “how hard could it be?” Umm…much to my surprise after I had walked with one bucket about a hundred yards to the house my entire body ached. I had a headache, my neck hurt, and my back hurt! I looked like such a wimp compared to all the girls, including some of the younger ones, who had carried at least three buckets already that morning! I learned a lesson that day that apparently I needed to learn again a couple of weeks later…


One Friday night, I was impatiently waiting for Eric and Holly to come and pick me and the five little children up from MAHOTT to go spend the night at our house. We planned a fun-filled evening of coloring and a movie along with a slumber party! Well, my impatience got the best of me and I decided that I wanted to play soccer with the boys. So, in our makeshift soccer field that was recently slashed (or cut) we played a game of five on five where I was the goalie. I lasted until the other team scored twice before Joseph Charles pulled me out of that position. I ran toward the ball and found a hole instead. My ankle immediately started throbbing, changing colors, and swelling. I thought I may have broken it because every time I stepped I wanted to cry! However, after Salma (who “says” she had training in nursing) twisted and pulled and banged on it…I did not feel from my knee down! It has been over a week now and I still cannot walk without a limp.


Colossians 3:12, 13a reads: “therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long sufferings; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another.” Both of these stories illustrate how much the children have humbled me in the short three weeks we have been here. Every day they remind me of how much there is for me to learn about life and hardships. I tried to be one of the girls and I failed miserably just as I tried to be one of the boys playing soccer. I have traveled long distances to teach them, and yet in just staying home they have taught me so much.