DISCLAIMER: I have no organization to this, its just my thoughts as they come. Sorry.

Today I am going to bed happy. I haven’t laughed a lot recently, which most of you know consumes my life. I have been so busy planning and worrying about speaking and trying to make a difference and dealing with living with people other than my family who knows how I tick. Today at lunch we had a team meeting. Everyone was on the brink of losing it. The tension kept rising and annoyances were going unsaid and I especially like everything to be said outloud and then forgive and forget and move on. We discussed frustrations and long story short, we have a blank slate; a fresh start. So for that I praise God.

I have to tell you again how incredibly difficult to stay happy after hearing all these wonderful people and where they are coming from. Yesterday, some youth from CCBC came, and there is this guy named norman, but everyone calls him Joy. He is freaking fabulous. He is a walking encyclopedia for the history and knowledge of the bible. He leads the youth at CCBC and has an amazing heart for God. Now that I am getting to know him better, his story is inspiring. He came from the streets and took in any information he could about God, and now is such a leader. Also, today is Tuesday so we had womens bible study. As we waited we could hear raised voices in the office. We ended up dancing with 50 year old women for 45 minutes learning old folk songs so it wasn’t too awkward. Afterwards we asked lusungu why all the staff were late and what they were yelling about. She proceeds to tell us of one of our kids, Charity. She is living with her grandmother because he parents got divorced and remarried. The mother does not want her, but the father does. However, the grandmother wants to keep they kids so she can get the perks of the program (free nice house food program clothes and school) she beats the kids and Charity had a busted lip this morning. Also they caught her yelling to one of the 7 year old boys that their mother died of AIDS and blah blah blah! Plus a few weeks ago, the girl was chased from the house at 9 pm and had to sleep at the chairmans house. The grandmother never bothered to look for her. Lusungu now has to decide how to get the children to the father or next of kin and possibly kicking the grandmother out of the program.

Shout out to Lucy—you are my perfect roommate. You know me and my habits and what ticks me off and what will cheer me up. You read my thoughts and call me out. But most importantly you just love me. You understand that im not always in a good mood, rational, or polite. And you still love me. I have come to the realization that  no roommate with meet my standards now, so good luck in college Ellie ha.

Anyways I am sick of typing so goodnight :]