Bed bugs?

So.. the hotel in Ambo has bed bugs. i didn't know about it until i woke up this morning with a few bug bites. that's definitely my first encounter with them!

we got to Ambo safely yesterday. on the way to Ambo, we stopped at another orphanage in a really poor section of Addis Ababa that has been affected by HIV/AIDS. we also stopped at a place called "Hope Village", which is this place that takes care of women who are considered outcasts from their society because they suffer from different diseases that they can't help suffering from.

we went to the schoolhouse for the first time this morning and afternoon. there were so many kids there it was overwhelming! they ran up to me and i had FOUR little kids trying to hold ONE of my hands. we started the english lessons today.. which was really interesting to say the least. we split the kids into three classrooms and i got the youngest group of kids who couldn't speak any english at all. so today we worked on SIT, STAND, TURN AROUND, POINT. we also broke out the "head and shoulders, knees and toes" song. there are a couple of 3 and 4 year olds that come with their older siblings. i love little kids that age and it was so sweet because they just latched onto us and i got to carry these cute little babies around all day. the kids were super amazed by my blonde hair.. which was fine, except they started to pull at it because they thought it was a wig. yesterday, i let some of the girls go to town with my hair. i looked in the mirror and realized they had braided my hair into small little braids which kind of looked like dreads. i felt super cool haha... until i woke up this morning and they all fell out.

we came back after lunch to the school house to do some arts and crafts - which was again, very interesting. we handed out crayons and you would have thought they were made out of gold the way the kids were reacting. it was cool to see how excited they were to just spend time with us and color some paper plates.

tomorrow, we are going back to the schoolhouse to do some more english lessons and other fun activities. i'm excited to see the sweet little kids again... they said they look forward to us coming for the WHOLE YEAR.

we also start the soccer camp after lunch tomorrow. i've never played soccer in my life so i'm preparing myself for some major ankle rolling and kids pointing at me yelling "FERINGIE" which means white person.

later, we are going to meet with the street boys here in Ambo. these are boys ages 8-19 who are homeless.. it's really sad to hear the stories of how they ended up on the streets. a few of them struggle at night because they get really cold. we would like to buy them jackets but they said to not get them anything too flashy because it may get stolen from them....

i'm learning everyday just how overwhelming this whole experience is. i can't do anything on my own and i am completely dependent on the Lord. HE will be faithful and even though it is so hard to see so many sweet children and people living this way i know that all i can do is spread His message and HE will supply.

these people know this life is only temporary and they live for the day. they are so inspiring.