Update #19

Hi guys. Just wanted you to know, we are getting ready to go to get x-rays done on Garth's chest to see if he has pneumonia, and we are also going to get some blood work done. He has been sick for quite some time. I am hoping that we can get him healthy before I leave on Monday for two weeks. Pray about it if you think of it. I will keep you posted.

Life here is full of preparations for OE. I am always in charge of finding people to help with making quick breads, granola and cookies. This year we needed 45 loaves of breads, 14 big batches of granola and 103 dozen cookies. As of yesterday we got all of that done. WOOHOO! That is always a relief for me. It is a lot of work to make something this big happen. Haha. Pray for all the leaders.  Each group of 16 kids has one male and one female leader. The male leader, Jed, that is supposed to go with me has a leg infection that won't heal and is on antibiotics, and then yesterday he cut his hand and had to have 4 stitches....ugh. So leadership is trying to decide if he should stay or go. Please pray about that as well.

One of the things we do on OE is teaching the people about hygiene and overall health. They tend to wash clothes in the river, poop in the river and get water to drink from the river. The dirty water makes them sick and they get diarrhea and then they think that water is bad and stop drinking and then get more sick or die. So we have been working on skits, and dramas to teach them to pick one location for bathroom waste and to boil water for at least 5 minutes to kill bacteria.

We are also bringing water bottles to hand out to the people so they will have a way to carry water with them when they go to the gardens.

Here is a picture of my group and my sister group-

Here is a map that shows you a little glimpse of the hikes.

They say that for Sophie's group hiking from Kosarrek to Hombuka should be about 2 1/2-3 hrs. Look at my hike. How long do you think that will take?

Haha. My group will hike from Kosarek to Minei (sounds like Meenay) and they say it will take about 7, but I am not sure. We are hiking with all of our stuff, up mountains, and valleys, and ridges and over rivers etc. Ha. We will see. Hopefully Jed will be well enough to make that hike. We hike on March 2 and come back March 4. I love the hikes. I always tell the kids to stop and look up and notice what is around them. We are hiking land that has barely been traveled before, to go to a place that most people in the world will never see. What a glorious experience! I absolutely love it! I wish you could go.

If you were going this would be your packing list.

So pack all this in a way that it is easy to carry it on your back, and it has to be 11 kilos or less. That is about 24 pounds. Can you do it? Haha. It is a challenge, but you would be surprised how easy it is to live with less. We are still working on what to pack and what to leave.This is what our table looks like right now. Usually I am helping twelve kids plus my own and me get ready. This year it is me,and Sophie and a friend of Sophie's that is staying with us while her family is in America.

Ok. Well, it is about time to take Garth in to get "fixed". Haha. That doesn't sound right. Anyways I will update you when we hear something.

Hope your day is sunny.

Love Rachel