loving every minute

Muraho! (Hello, in Kinyarwandan- that's for you, Abbey)

We have come to really look forward to checking our email, as our family and friends are all so encouraging! We DO miss yall, but not so much that we're ready to come home. It hasn't been too long since I posted last, but here is what's been going on:

Saturday: Went to Esron's church (Remera) around 9 for a women's Bible study group. It went really well. It lasted 4 hours (they go all out when they do church over here!). We taught for about an hour of that. Esron was able to translate for us, which was great! We've been using some other translators while we've been here and had forgotten how much easier it is to work with Esron. We had Esron translate the study into their language, so the women were able to have their own copies and follow along and take notes. It went really well. Other than that, they talked, prayed and, of course, sang. It is somewhat exhausting to constantly either be working through a translator or not understand what's going on. Pray that we can keep up the energy in that area. Saturady night, I got to talk to my family (and I mean the whole fam). They were with my grandparents, so they just passed the phone around. It was great to hear from them!

Sunday: Happy Father's Day! Church was 4 hours again. Again, it's hard to never fully understand what is going on. We met another muzugu (white person) there Sunday morning who is here working for World Relief. It was nice to hear someone else speaking English. Sunday was our first day to dance. (We avoided getting pulled in last week, but they had us sit on the front row this week.) It was great fun. I love watching these people worship with everything they have. I mean, really, when was the last time you (or I) praised the Lord so vigorously that we actually SWEAT? I danced with one woman who literally had sweat dripping off her forehead. I am still in awe of the hope these people have. We heard about a new restraunt (the Emerald) and had dinner there Sunday night.

Today was our first day in the second class at the school. We started teaching the story of Noah. (Each week we'll teach a different story, mainly for the sake of our own sanity.) This class is so well behaved. It was really nice, however, we had to come up with more to do to fill the whole time. After school, we had our driver drop us off at the Emerald and we got a snack and read out on their little balcony. Then we walked here (the post office) to check our email.

Keep praying for us.
-Pray for my back. (As many of you know, I've had problems for years and will be having surgery shortly after we get back.) It hasn't been too bad yet, but keep praying!
-Pray that we wont get homesick. (We're not yet, but we've got a long time!)
-Pray that our down time will be restful and productive.
-Pray for our Thursday study. Our translator may have to leave the country to be with her family. God's in control.
-Pray MOSTLY that God would be glorified in every aspect of this trip and that we would be make the most of every opportunity He gives us.

Again, thank you all for everything. Emails, comments, prayers. I love you all!