cold-blooded housemates

this striped fellow joined me in the shower this morning... it's kind of amusing when you start to realize you're getting used to having creepy creatures living with you! we had a giant lizard living with us for at least a week, and after seeing a one-eyed frog around for awhile we didn't even react when he hopped into my room one night. haven't seen a snake yet, although we've heard stories.



And this furry friend is always climbing this tree beside our house with his buddies and storming across our tin roof. it's kind of a game for us to guess what is on our roof: galloping monkeys, scurrying squirrels, or little children picking mulberries.
And if you ever need to find me but can't, this is very likely the place I've wondered of to. Everyone needs their place to escape to, and this one is mine.

mental note: beware of ice skates in africa

I went to a mall in a nearby city on Saturday and there was a little fenced in area where kids were 'ice skating' on hard plastic (don't try this at home!). One of the kids slipped and his ice skate went under the fencing and cut my foot. Figures. :)

I am now half way through training and still pretty excited about what God has planned for me this year. On Tuesday I found out that I have been officially assigned to live and work in Zambia for the year and so the rest of the training will be much more 'individual prep' and really getting to know what my role will be. I have heard nothing but good things about the community in Zambia, and the fact that no other volunteer has ever been placed there makes it all the more thrilling. Please pray for me and the other volunteers as we have a lot to do and learn in the next few weeks!

Also, thanks to all of you who replied to my last post about my 'problem' with falling in love, I really felt encouraged. I would like to share with you what my good friend Mary wrote to me about it (hope she doesn't mind, hehe)...

"I thought of you the other day when I was doing devos and reading Genesis 21:16-17. It's the part when Hagar starts crying because she can't bear to watch her son die in the desert. And it's really interesting, verse 17 says "God heard the boy crying . . ." I know Hagar's pain must have been immense - but it's the cry of the child that got God's attention. God hears the cries. Because He loves them that much - I'm glad that you can be there to be that love for them, even if it means having your heart broken."

It has really stayed with me the last couple of weeks, and I hope it gives you something to think about. You don't have to be in Africa to love someone intensely who needs it!!
This is Lungelo, Virginia's 2 year old son I stayed with in community