day five.

I was sick all this morning through the afternoon today. We walked up the hill to CURE Hospital at 8am, so we could do a bible study with the staff there. It was..interesting haha. We sang hymns acappella sitting around a table in a barn type thing. Then, we read scripture and the workers quizzed us haha it was more unique than it sounds. I felt fine during the bible study. Then the ladies in the kitchen cooking needed some help, so Magan, Jenna, and I went and learned how to cut lettuce and helped do that.... that's when I got a little sick heh. I ended up having to walk back down to our house with Sara (core team leader) and I slept until from 9-3:30ish, through lunch and everything. I hated I stayed at the house all day, but after I  woke up I felt so much better. At 3:45 we headed over to Little Lambs after-school care, which I was really happy about since I wasn't able to do anything earlier. I loved Little Lambs! It was so much fun. We got to play with the kids the whole time. The lady in charge is hilarious. We played at least ten games with the kids and everybody and they all were so much fun. The children in the program sang us songs and introduced themselves and told their memory verse for that week.

 One little girl there I absolutely fell in love with was Florence. She is thirteen years old and is in seventh grade. She sat by me in one of the games and all she would do the whole time during the game was play with my hair. She kept telling me she liked my hair and would ask if she could have it haha. I told her I would cut it all off so she could, and she just thought that was the funniest thing in the world. Florence also referred to my hair as "flexible." Hahaha i loved it. I took jumping pictures of her and she absolutely loved it. Towards the end when we were saying bye she had tears in her eyes. She told me she would never forget me, and that's something I will never forget. What breaks my heart even more is that I really didn't do anything special... I loved her, that was it. I played with her. And I simply cared. We take that for granted a lot at home. I ended up giving her a leather bracelet that had my name "HANNAH" carved in it. To make sure she really doesn't ever forget me. She was extremely excited about that, especially since a lot of the kids there all ask for our bracelets on our wrists. After we left Little Lambs, we came home and rested and ate dinner. Tonight is Harmony's birthday so we get real chocolate cake and brownies. YAY. Tomorrow is safari too! eeeeek

 Florence and I

 Florence

  Florence and I

  Florence and I

 Duncan and I

  Florence, Duncan, and I

new season.

I just realized today is June 4th. Exactly one year ago today, my world fell apart.. so I thought. Looking back over the past year, that day has impacted me in so many ways, and has taught me more than any words could ever explain. It was the beginning of a new journey for me and a new season in my life. If only I could have somehow told myself that day, that a year from that exact day I would be filled with so much joy, so many new friendships and people investing into my life, so much encouragement, advice, and wisdom. It's in the solitude that God speaks to us best. And he spoke to me during those months. But starting that day exactly one year ago, I had two choices. I could either obey God, or I could disobey Him. I knew what He wanted me to do,  I just didn't whole heartedly trust in Him that he would take care of me. But still, He did. It's crazy thinking about how PERFECT His timing is, and to think that if I had disobeyed, I wouldn't be here in Africa right now. I wouldn't have surrendered my life to Him December 9th, 2012. There are so many things I wouldn't have gotten to experience by disobeying Him! But I obeyed. And I'm here. in AFRICA. And my heart is happier than it has been in longer than I can remember. God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good.

"I shudder to think of what all I have missed in life because of my disobedience."