Snippets from Jubilee Reach

Snippets of conversation at Jubilee Reach Center this morning (initals have been changed to protect the innocent, God bless 'em)

C: (grinning) Sometimes (brother) and I take mom's feet and Dad takes her head and we carry her up the stairs because she gets so sleepy!

Me: Does this happen often?

C: She is very sleepy

Me: Does she wake up?

C: She is very sleepy

Me: Wow. That's very sleepy.

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S: My mommy is going to have another baby.

Me: Are you excited?

S: We already have anough kids. But I like babies.

Me: Aren't you the baby now?

S: Mom says I will still be her baby. My aunt and uncle and cousins are living in our house. They had rats in their house so they have to live with us. We are moving in March.

Me: I would miss you if you moved in March.

S: Everyone would miss me if I moved. (and she is right. But I love that self esteem.)

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Me: Let's see how many times I can get the hula hoop around. (attempts. Fails)

L: I think you are too big.

Me: I agree. I used to be really good. When I was your size.

L: Maybe you should try something else.

Me: Did anyone tell you how very smart you are?

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(after the kids are dropped off)

Me: C's mommy is sleepy and has to be carried up the stairs by the kids and dad and S's mom is expecting another baby and the Aunt and Uncle have had to move in. They may be moving.

Volunteer M: We better say some prayers for our kids!

Ministry of Pampering

Hanna and I got nail polish. Lots of it. (13 bottles on sale at Target!) And some yummy hand lotion at Bath and Body. I think the men on the team are going to think we're crazy...those engineering types you know. But I so love the idea of polish ministry. These women work so, so hard. I'm pretty sure they have not had much pampering, if any at all. 17 days and counting! These feet are probably like the ones we'll see. Maryellen took this picture on her humanitarian trip to Guatamala with the eye surgery team. Can you imagine?

My Other Blog: Sudan

I've been busy this weekend putting together the blog that I am responsible for that will document my Sudan team's experience. If you want to follow it, it's here. Three more weeks of work to get under my belt, and a bit more shopping, packing and organizing and then we are on our way. There has been lots of discussion about the roles that each of us will play: both our roles on the team and what we will be doing when on the ground in Sudan. Hanna and I have been talking especially about how to bond with the women of the village. Hanna has had lots of experience on other mission trips. She mentioned that in Ethiopia she found that women everywhere love to be pampered and she made great strides in sharing hand lotion and painting toenails. So on Thursday evening Hanna and I are going nail polish and lotion shopping. There is something about painting the toes on these feet that have travelled such a hard road that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Hanna said the feet can be pretty bad, some don't even have nails, in which case we just paint an area on the toe. This picture is of Hanna (with the yellow bandana) bonding with Uduk women (Sudanese refuges) at a refuge camp (Bonga) in Ethiopia.

What Child Is This?

I got to Jubilee Reach this morning before the children arrived, just in time to catch Luis setting up the two-foot tall nativity scene under the soaring Christmas tree in the lobby. Baby Jesus, in the manger, was placed in middle, as Mary and Joseph, the Three Kings, and one other guy that I think I should know but must have forgotten, were positioned around, looking adoringly upon Him. A donkey and three sheep nestled in beside. Each of the figures sported an electric plug in their back, waiting to be connected to an electrical source so they might glow. I had the incredible experience of being there as some of the kids arrived. As they came through the door, the children spotted them right away, rushing right past their waiting name tags to check out this display. Hats and backpacks still attached. This was a moment of Christmas wonderment that I wish everyone could experience.

I was checking out the ornaments on the tree that the children had made earlier in the week, as the questions came bursting out.

“What are those?”…. “Why is that baby there?” … “Who are those guys and what are they carrying?” …“How come those sheep are lying down?”

[I am humming “What Child is This?” as I write.]

I had a flash of panic as I realized what an important moment this was and what an awesome responsibility I had to get this right.

“This is the Christmas story.” …“That’s baby Jesus. He was born on Christmas.” …“Those are three kings with presents for baby Jesus.” …“Jesus was born in the barn and the sheep are sleeping by him.” I start to think I’m pretty good at this.

Then the questions got harder. “Who is He?”…“Is He real?”…“How come these things (the electrical plugs) are there?”

Fortunately some answers came. “He was really nice and taught people about God and love.” … “Yes, He is real. He was born a long, long time ago. Even before your Mommy and Daddy and your grandparents.” The hardest question was the one about the electrical plugs. Somehow I stumbled through that.

As I was down there on my knees right next to each child checking out the nativity scene I had my own questions. “How is it possible they don’t know this part of the Christmas story?” “How did I get so lucky to experience this wonderful moment?” “How awesome is this?” “Why did they put those darn plugs right in the middle of their backs?” What a great morning. It’s beginning to feel like Christmas.
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Written December 2007