yes, i am still here

After weeks of not posting, I am back.
Many things have happened since the last entry.
It is hard to know how to catch up.
Where to begin?

Chad and I went to Africa!! We were away for 18 days. We traveled with two college friends, Dan and Jason. The first week was spent in Cairo, Eygpt. We ate kosheri, crossed the streets (a major feat in a city of 17 million with no crosswalks), saw the pyramids, experienced a night time boat ride on the Nile, and attempted to learn some Arabic.

The second week was spent in Uganda at an orphanage for Sudanese refugees. Before the trip I knew nothing of the civil war in Sudan. Meeting the refugees, hearing their songs, seeing their eyes, listening to their stories of war, seeing their faith in Jesus... it was an incredible learning experience. The children at the orphanage sang many songs for us. One song was about the war. They sang with all their hearts about their homeland being destroyed and their parents being killed.

One little girl peirced my heart. Tears streamed down her face as she sung about these things. She is eight years old, bald from malnutrition, the size of a 6 year old, with the most beautiful face I've ever seen. On our long trip home I thought about this child, my favorite. I thought about bringing her with us, back to the USA. I tried to think the way she would. New things to her eyes would include: paved road, toilet, airplane, elevator, Burger King, Toyota Tundra, garbage disposal, fish tank, dog food, fire place, mailbox, vitamins, carwash, computer, and on and on and on.

???

I've been home for six weeks. I'm still reconciling the things I experienced. Our path has changed. Before we were set to leave this country and live abroad as missionaries. Chad's desire was to build for others. To help them. Now we wonder if we're supposed to stay and continue to make money and support others with it. The cooks at the orphanage make $13 a month; think of how far our money could go!!

I also keep thinking about the kids. Adoption is a subject we've always considered. What would it be like to raise an African child in Arkansas? Yikes. I don't know.