This week is the third and final week of the kids' break from school. So, we have been trying to cram as much fun into it as possible!
Monday morning was little kids' breakfast. After the older kids ate, we went and cooked a ton of apple pancakes for the kids in grades 1-4. They loved the pancakes! Breakfast was followed by an encouraging talk from Uncle Larry, some science experiment demonstrations by some of the boys, and a sweet, kids movie. I think the littles had a good morning!
Tuesday night was big girls' night. We sang some songs, had a talk about using your words to build others up, made friendship bracelets, ate snacks, and watched Star Wars Episode I (they've already seen IV, V, and VI). It was a successful night with lots of giggling!
Wednesday night was finally big boys' night. Very similar to girls' night, but switch out bracelets for more experiments. They, too, got to watch Star Wars and were adding their own sound effects to the movie the whole time!
Today, Thursday, we piled all the sixth and seventh graders into a couple of vans and went to visit a school for visually impaired children. We were able to deliver three brail machines that were donated to them. It was so exciting watching some of the blind kids play with the brail machines! Our kids jumped right in and made friends with all the blind kids. I love that Rafiki doesn't just let their kids be served, but finds ways for them to serve others and bring light into their cities.
We've also done some more Lego bridge building, tomorrow is the final tournament, and some gardening.
Each morning we have bike riding on the basketball court for the littles, and each morning, the two littlest Rafiki girls (ages 3 and 4) ride a tricycle and sing together. Here are some songs they sing:
Plinkle Plinkle Little Star (it's much cuter this way)
The QRS's (Much like the ABC's, but you start at Q every time. Interestingly enough, starting at Q still qualifies you to sing the "now I know my ABC's" part.)
The More We Get the Christmas, The Happier We'll Be (for your friends are my friends and your friends are my friends and your friends are my friends and your friends are my friends and...)
One last thing: The kids have a fun game where they like to come up behind me and pluck a hair off my head and see if I notice. There's something very Tarzan about this game that makes me want to change my name to Tantor. (I notice.)
Lauren :-)
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Week 1
This last week has been crazy and busy. First, these kids are great and so sweet and silly! Since it has been a whole week since I blogged last, I'll give a little of what we did each day.
Monday:
We started our Lego bridge building competitions! The kids are in teams of two or three and have to build a bridge from one chair to another. Then, we put books on top to see which bridge is the strongest. We only had two groups last week, but this week we'll finish and then on Friday, the teams who had the strongest bridges will compete in THE GREAT MALAWIAN LEGO BRIDGE CONTEST! It should be very fun and exciting!
Tuesday:
We had lots of fun making posters for for the school we visited on Friday! We made sure the posters had bright, beautiful colors and bible verses to encourage the kids!
Wednesday:
This was the day that I spent making cookies with four groups of helpers! The dough was already made so our helper got to form the dough balls, make little indents, and fill them with jelly. There was lots of conversation and laughing and it was a great chance to get to know the kids in smaller groups.
Thursday:
A very busy and interesting day. This was Visitation Day and whatever family that the kids have got to come, hear songs, memory verses, have a cookie and some juice, and then go see their kid's cottage. There are two visitation days every year. It wasn't quite how I expected. The kids who have family members come are excited to see them, but there's really not much conversation and the visitors leave after a very short time. Then there's the kids who don't have anyone or their families live to far to make the trip. Even though they know that they probably won't have anyone show up, they still are very hopeful and are very dissapointed when no one comes. It's hard to watch. I tried to be a visitor for a couple boys who didn't have anyone, but they were more interested in the goodies that their friends' families brought to share.
Friday:
We got up and headed out to the school we were visiting. It was a nice walk through the streets just outside Rafiki and it was a little chilly so the walk helped us warm up. We got there and there were so many more kids than I had expected and they were interested in who all these people with brooms and mops and posters were. The kids cleaned the four classrooms that the school has (most classes are held on the grass outside) and then put up posters and a couple kites to brighten the rooms. Then they passed out snacks to the school kids and and sang a goodbye song and we were on our way again. It was so special to see these kids, who we think of as the least of these, learning how to put themselves even lower and find all kids of ways to serve others.
Friday night, many missionaries from around Mzuzu came to Rafiki for dinner and hanging out. It was fun to meet families from South Africa, The Netherlands, and others from America.
Saturday:
A pretty low key day. We started off by doing some shopping at a few different places in town. A little later, the boys wanted me to help them with the experiments that they'll be showing the little
kids tomorrow. And then we played hide and seek and played on the playground before dinner. A fun, relaxing Fourth of July :-)
Sunday (Today):
We went to church with one of the families that we met on Friday night and then they took us to a Korean restaraunt. I had stir fried noodles that were so good and I have leftovers that I'm very excited about! We came back and watched a movie with the kids and then at dinner, we had a little birthday party for Jenny, another mini-missionay here, and one of the mamas.
One thing that has been fun is that on week nights, we can pick a cottage to go to and play games and have devotions with before bed.
I'm ready for another busy week ahead!
Thank you, friends!
Lauren
(I haven't been able to post pics to the blog from my iPad, but I'll add some to Facebook!)
Monday:
We started our Lego bridge building competitions! The kids are in teams of two or three and have to build a bridge from one chair to another. Then, we put books on top to see which bridge is the strongest. We only had two groups last week, but this week we'll finish and then on Friday, the teams who had the strongest bridges will compete in THE GREAT MALAWIAN LEGO BRIDGE CONTEST! It should be very fun and exciting!
Tuesday:
We had lots of fun making posters for for the school we visited on Friday! We made sure the posters had bright, beautiful colors and bible verses to encourage the kids!
Wednesday:
This was the day that I spent making cookies with four groups of helpers! The dough was already made so our helper got to form the dough balls, make little indents, and fill them with jelly. There was lots of conversation and laughing and it was a great chance to get to know the kids in smaller groups.
Thursday:
A very busy and interesting day. This was Visitation Day and whatever family that the kids have got to come, hear songs, memory verses, have a cookie and some juice, and then go see their kid's cottage. There are two visitation days every year. It wasn't quite how I expected. The kids who have family members come are excited to see them, but there's really not much conversation and the visitors leave after a very short time. Then there's the kids who don't have anyone or their families live to far to make the trip. Even though they know that they probably won't have anyone show up, they still are very hopeful and are very dissapointed when no one comes. It's hard to watch. I tried to be a visitor for a couple boys who didn't have anyone, but they were more interested in the goodies that their friends' families brought to share.
Friday:
We got up and headed out to the school we were visiting. It was a nice walk through the streets just outside Rafiki and it was a little chilly so the walk helped us warm up. We got there and there were so many more kids than I had expected and they were interested in who all these people with brooms and mops and posters were. The kids cleaned the four classrooms that the school has (most classes are held on the grass outside) and then put up posters and a couple kites to brighten the rooms. Then they passed out snacks to the school kids and and sang a goodbye song and we were on our way again. It was so special to see these kids, who we think of as the least of these, learning how to put themselves even lower and find all kids of ways to serve others.
Friday night, many missionaries from around Mzuzu came to Rafiki for dinner and hanging out. It was fun to meet families from South Africa, The Netherlands, and others from America.
Saturday:
A pretty low key day. We started off by doing some shopping at a few different places in town. A little later, the boys wanted me to help them with the experiments that they'll be showing the little
kids tomorrow. And then we played hide and seek and played on the playground before dinner. A fun, relaxing Fourth of July :-)
Sunday (Today):
We went to church with one of the families that we met on Friday night and then they took us to a Korean restaraunt. I had stir fried noodles that were so good and I have leftovers that I'm very excited about! We came back and watched a movie with the kids and then at dinner, we had a little birthday party for Jenny, another mini-missionay here, and one of the mamas.
One thing that has been fun is that on week nights, we can pick a cottage to go to and play games and have devotions with before bed.
I'm ready for another busy week ahead!
Thank you, friends!
Lauren
(I haven't been able to post pics to the blog from my iPad, but I'll add some to Facebook!)
Sunday, June 28, 2015
I Sure Didn't Expect To Talk About Star Wars So Much
So after a long, long, crazy, trip I finally made it to Rafiki Malawi on Friday night! The last couple days have been sort of a slower start since it's the weekend, but I'm starting to settle in and get to know some of the kids. Today is Sunday and this morning I went to church with the one of the staff missionaries, Cindy, and the other mini-missionary, Jenny. The service started at about 7:45 and we left at 11, but Cindy said that it would probably go another three hours! I cannot imagine sitting on those hard benches for six hours straight!
We got back and were able to rest for a little bit and then we went to a meeting with the boys' council. This is a group of three of the older boys who work together to plan things for the littles and work to be good leaders and role models. They were so sweet as they planned a pancake breakfast and special morning for the little boy's and girl's day.
After dinner, I was able to go to one of the cottages and play cards and listen to their mama do the devo before bed. It was so much fun to see the silliness of those girls!
One thing I've learned about all these kids it that they LOVE Star Wars! All of the older kids have seen episodes 1, 4, 5, and 6. And they know every detail. I am so glad that I have three brothers who have always loved Star Wars so much and gotten me to watch the movies so that I have some trivial knowledge to talk about with them. They also think that it is so cool that my brother's name is Luke like Luke Skywalker. I see a lot of light saber fights in my future, which I've had a lot of practice in so I'll be ready!
They also ask all kinds of questions:
- What's your birthday? I've already found a boy with my birthday.
- What's your favorite color?
- How many sisters/brothers do you have?
- Who's your favorite Star Wars Character?
- And plenty more, but my favorite question I've been asked so far: How many grandsons do you have? This question was met with lots of laughter from the rest of the kids at the table and lots of confusion from me. :-)
These kids are great and I can't wait to get to know them better and better!
Thank you all for all of your prayers! It means so much!
I haven't been to good about taking pictures yet, but I'll try to post some here or on Facebook tomorrow.
Lauren :-)
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
My Rough Start
There's an SNL sketch that I saw a long time ago that made fun of High School Musical. It had Troy Bolton come back to East High School and address the students after his first year of college. He says about his first day, "I was nervous and excited, so I started singing a song called 'nervous and excited' and everyone just stared at me. There was no, choreograph. Nothing!" Yesterday I was nervous and excited as my family dropped me off at the airport. I thought about singing a song called "nervous and excited" but I didn't. What if people stared at me?
My flight last night was cancelled and my flight today has been delayed all morning. Here is a peek into my random thoughts and experiences and lessons:
My flight last night was cancelled and my flight today has been delayed all morning. Here is a peek into my random thoughts and experiences and lessons:
- I have amazingly helpful and supportive parents.
- I really feel for the poor airline employees who get all the anger and frustration dumped on them when all they're trying to do is help.
- The Office is always helpful when you need to relax and have a laugh.
- I found a nickel. Now I have a nickel for every time I've gotten stuck in Cleveland on my way to Africa.
- My new nickel has a Buffalo on it and that makes me miss Kelsey K.
- When you get up at 4am you get hungry for lunch at 9:30am.
- When you are 4 hours and 25 minutes into a delay, the airline gives you $7 for lunch.
- My sister is brilliant and super encouraging.
- Once you settle in and expect things to go wrong, it doesn't feel like a huge problem any more.
- It is so easy and worth it to smile at the flight attendants, captains, airline agents, and fellow passengers and encourage them or thank them or make a little joke.
- Krosley Family Motto: Plans Change.
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