Update!

Things have been staying really busy this week--we've been without an internet connection most of the week so I haven't been able to blog, but I wanted to post some pictures of things we've been doing lately!

We took the kids to the dentist this week for a dental check-up. We have to take a few of them back next week to have a cleaning, but for the most part they all were in good shape!

Last week we used the projector to stencil Bible verses on the walls--I forgot how difficult it can be to paint on bumpy cement walls, but was able to finish the verses that are above the entrances to the boy and girl dorms. The verse above is in the boy's dorm, and the verse below is in the girl's. I'm hoping to finish the verses in the chapel and classroom next week! Big thanks to Brent Ellis for all of his help in putting the Bible verses together! Another project I've been working on is sewing curtains for all of the dorm rooms and the administrator's office--28 windows! Hoping to get that finished by next week!

                                       
                                        (painting above chapel door: Psalm 150:6)

                                     
                                        (painting in classroom: Proverbs 22:6)

We had our last perfect attendance rewards day on Saturday. It's been such a great program--the attendance of all the kids has improved so much! We had triple the number of kids with 100% attendance for the month of October!!

For their rewards day, we played the water balloon toss--with how hot it's been lately it ended up being the perfect game! I love this series of pictures of Zenus' water balloon breaking!

Salome catching her balloon

Chiyerekezo and Emmanuel won the water balloon toss!

Alyssa and I brought Kool-aid and made homemade powdered sugar doughnuts as a snack for the kids! They were a big hit! We'll have to make more when Cindy gets here next week. =)

Patuma with her doughnut

Peter enjoying his Kool-aid and doughnuts

Praise is a big fan of sweets, so he was really excited about the sugar doughnuts. When I handed one to his dad, Joshua, he stuffed the rest of his doughnut in his mouth and made a grab for the second one. When Joshua explained to him that he already had one, Praise was a little unhappy lol. Kids are the same, no matter where you are in the world. He did end up getting a second doughnut! In the picture you can see the first doughnut that's still in his mouth =)

Finally, we watched Finding Nemo in the classroom. They loved it!! It was incredibly fun day =)

Concerning the scabies outbreak with our residential children at Esther's House, the kids are doing much better--Alyssa and I spent an entire day wrapping 12 mattresses and pillows in plastic and duct tape, had all of clothing of all 12 residential children washed at once, and we administered the medicine that Dr. Martin advised us to give. I don't want to speak too soon, but it seems like Alyssa and I have lucked out and not caught scabies from the children--that's an incredible blessing and we're really relieved and thankful! We spend so much time around the children that I really was expecting to catch it. The children who were treated for tropical sores last week are also doing much better.

We are so excited to be picking our Malawi mom, Cindy House, up from the airport this Thursday!!! The kids have been asking about her a lot lately and are really excited to see her again! Please pray that she has a safe trip back to Malawi! I'm going to be driving to Lilongwe, so please also pray that Alyssa and I make it there in one piece =)