Wednesday

So, today was my lucky day to be sick.  I seem to have faired better than Ben...so far.  I was lucky enough that I never actually got sick, but I was doubled over in pain for a good 6-8 hours straight today.  As someone described it best, I think, "It was like a bear was clawing out my stomach!"  I love Eli, I love his culture and homeland, but I am ready to be home.  This has been such a difficult trip so far and we all just really want to be HOME!  Clean water, a schedule, our own beds, etc.   The group had the morning off then went to the transtition home to drop off donations and care packages and then to the market.  Well, the bus nearly left without Ben (I was here sick) and didn't load our care packages or donations :o(  So we will head back tomorrow on our own dime to take care of that.  Ben was able to get a few pictures and video of the kids, but we'll take more tomorrow when they get their packages.    Eli is a great kid, but he's VERY clingy right now.  Ben wasn't able to set him down at all today.  And I was up holding him alllll night last night (which I'm sure didn't help me feel better today).  He will be sound asleep, but as soon as you set him down he SCREAMS!  Not just a little cry.  And then you pick him up and he's silent again.  So, he is now in bed and Daddy is holding him, which he plans on doing all night.  We'll work on getting him liad down when we're home and he's not keeping up a whole Guest House!!   Hopefully tonight and tomorrow will be better.  And then Friday we leave the guest house around 5 to head to the airport, I believe.  Though nothing runs on schedule here.  As Robel said, "Europeans have the watches, Africans have the time."  So true!  Everything moves at its own pace here.  But it all works out.   There is some encouraging news coming through for the families that are awiating visas, but nothing final yet.  As you can imagine, people were on the phone all day again today and some were back at the Embassy.  Still no visas, so keep praying!   Our suitemates from the Rwanda program should be leaving tomorrow.  I think when I talked to them last night everything had finally worked out.  They've been gone for 2 weeks, so I know they're ready to be home!   Well, I think that's all for now.  Keep us in your prayers!  We will be home in a little over 72 hours if all goes well!!!