1 Month in Africa as of today!!!!

It is so strange to think I have been here 1 whole month today!! I can't beleive it. I have to say that there are days I feel I've been here for YEARS and then there are days I feel like I just arrived.
I do feel much more at ease here in Africa with going to the markets for fruit and veggies, riding in the Taxi cars(and not freaking out that they are driving too fast and praying instead:), the Dala Dala, hanging out my laundry to dry outside, dealing with the power going out or no hot water at times, realizing that things can always be worse and that I just say to myself TIA(That is Africa) to help me through!!
Today is our day-off work and were acutally staying here at Cradle of Love instead of zooming to the market or attempting to go to the Rwanda trials, which we all plan on doing next Wednesday and I'm SO thrilled to be able to expereince that!!!
We have been at the apt. all day. I would think I would feel confined and wanting to get out of there, but instead I made coffee, talked with Stephaine about the GA bulldawgs, had a bowl of cereal, read Upmost for His Highest, journaled, wrote down some quotes from the book I'm reading called Gracias, resting up for the work days ahead, reflect on what God has been teaching me here, hopefully watch Shrek later today, and realizing that a slow day here at COL was just what I needed...I felt a bit like I was in Atlanta on a Saturday morning with Erin and Becca drinking coffee and chatting on the sofa, it was so nice!!!
I have a few updates from COL...there is a tiny baby named Rebecca, who doesnt seem to be gaining any weight, but still continues to smile so big at you with her mouth that is the size of my thumb nail. If ya'll could pray for her health that would be just wonderful!!
The other babies are healthy and happy!! We do have a few leaving to go to homes and to transition into facilities for older kids, so prayer for their transition(Corey, Simon, Ben) would be awesome! WE will MISS them SO MUCH!!! Oh, its so sad thinking about losing them actually...
I had a treasured moment that I would LOVE to be able to watch over and over again with 2 babies named Hope and Martin. They both were in their high chairs waiting to be fed and I was helping Rachel, you can see her in the below pictures, drink her water. I looked over at the babies and Martin kept making the same silly face over and over again making Hope laugh hysterically!!! I only WISH I could show all of you this moment because it was PRICELESS! I absolutely loved watching them interact. It was so funny how they are only 1 or so and can make each other laugh like that intentianally...it was so sweet!!!
I got to go with Davona yesterday along with Heath and Christy to take 3 of our babies, Helena, Clinton, and Bahjiti to get their blood drawn for viruses. As we each had a baby in hand, loaded the car with no carseat, I felt so protective of these little precious angels. I felt like they were mine. Heath, Christy, and me held them so tight as we drove and arrived at the clinic. I was called by the nurse to come with Clinton first to get blood work. The hospital is nothing like ours at home, don't even try to grasp it because you can't. Eventhough the cleanliness or standards we have in the U.S. wouldn't even compare to this clinic I noticed something that was different. Heath and I talked about the love and attention each of our babies received from the nurses and Doctor. It was amazing to watch them all huddle around the baby you were with with smiles, funny faces, and touches of love. Clinton was so happy to have the attention of all the folks in the room until, ofcourse, they pooked him with a needle in the upper thigh and then he burst into tears with loud cries from his lungs. It was such a neat experience and I'm so thankful to have been there to take it all in!!!
I mentioned I'm reading a book here called Gracias, A Latin American Journal, by Henri Nouwen that Ali Dunagan gave me before I took off to Africa and I just want to say it is one of the most inspiring, heart-felt, honest, page turning books I've EVER read, thank you Ali:) for loaning it to me!!! I'm literally trying not to finish it, but its not working very well hahaha...I think the author sums up how children are the joy that life has to offer us in times that we see and/or expereince pain and poverty...I leave ya'll with this quote and hopes that all of you get to read this beautiful book...Much LOVE and KISSES and HUGS, missing all of you, Hallie
" I wondered how the poverty, the lack of good food and good housing would affect me; I was afraid of becoming depressed by the misery I would see. But, God showed me something else first: affectionate, open, and playful children who are telling me about love and life in ways no book was ever able to do. I now realize that only when I can enter with the children into joy will I be able to enter also with them into their poverty and pain. God obviously wants me to walk into the world of suffering with a little child on each hand."

Cradle of Love Photos

Rachel and Hallie

This is one of the sweetest girls EVER! Her name is Rachel and she is 2 years old.

She is from Burundi, Africa and I LOVE her!!! The first week none of us could get

her to smile at all. Now, she is a vibrant, loving, joyful little girl. She also loves to sunggle in your lap, which is so sweet.

This is sweet, baby David! He is the smiliest baby with chubby cheeks and SO playful!

I adore looking at him, saying his name and then watching that smile appear so BIG!! 

He crawls really funny too with one leg dragging behind him. We love him!

I have to be honest and say that this boy is my favorite!!! I know your not suppose to have favorites, but I just can't lie anymore!! I ABSOLUTELY ADORE this boy named Joshua!!

He is 2 years old and the cutest thing EVER! He yells my name at the

top of his lungs when he sees me and my heart feels like it will explode with joy!!!

He loves hugs, people, looking at you in the eyes, running laps around the kitchen area, playing with balloons, giggling, and jumping while holding your hands. He also will be a football player, I'm convinced, so that when I bring him home to America my dad can sign him up to play football for the bulldawgs!! SWEET!!!

This is one of our sweet nanny's Neema with all just a few of the kiddos. From left to right is Ben(we call him Benny), Simon, Salimu, Corey, and Joshua. The big boys are Simon, Ben, and Corey at Cradle of Love. They kind of run the place:) Corey, in the grey pajama outfit, is one of the kindest boys I've ever met. He is so nice to all the babies, such a charmer, and has stolen all of the volunteers hearts. Ben, who is leaning on Neema's knee is just a beautiful kid. He is so silly, playful, yet doesn't listen sometimes. Salimu is in the blue and is such a sweetie. He loves to sing the ABC's with Heath, point to monkey's, and be tickled on his tummy.

This is Christy, Me, and Heath with some of the babies

from Cradle of Love. Simon is in Christy's lap and he is one of the

big boys at Cradle of Love. He is silly, playful, clumsy, and rebellious at times. 

I'm holding Rachel, who I ADORE! She was SO quiet and reserved...

we couldn't even get her to smile at all the first week and now she is 

so happy, full of life, and a joy to be with. Heath is holding Neema, her favorite, and she

is just PRECIOUS! She is so loving, affectionate, smart, flirty, and can be sneaky at times.

 

Munkundee and her Family...

    I wanted to write a separate blog about the part of town I visited that is one of the poorest in Arusha. It is called Sokoniwon(that spelling could be real wrong)...As you drive through the narrwow, bumpy, dusty, crowded road of this area you see poverty. You see kids in dirty, ripped clothes, skinny dogs, people everywhere just sitting or cooking up corn on the cob on small grills, or these tiny little goldfish that get roasted as well. 

    There are kids not even 5 years old carrying babies on their backs. The streets are filthy, but the smiles are many. It truly is an amazing place beneath the surface of what you see with your eyes. You must meet the people that live there, be one with them, hang out with them at their homes, meet their children, eat their food, help with the cooking, scrub laundry with them, and that is exactly what i did.

  The mama's name was Munkundee and her daughter was Neema. The mama greeted me with a huge hug and kisses and we were off to eat lunch at her house that afternoon. There were 4 of us in this group. We all split up with the Younglife crew from Arizona and took off...

   I followed Munkundee through narrow passages and over wooden boards to get to her one bedroom home with a sofa and 2 chairs. 

  All 4 of us got to work. We were greeted so friendly by neighbors of Munkundee and they all got many laughs as we attemped to cook on the tiny stove outside, doing laundry with a bar of soap and a bucket(i wasn't so good at that), and just enjoying the time spent learning from these women and what their lives are like each day. 

   We all had the best time ever, it has been one of my most memorable times here in Arusha, but i dont think they know how much i truly was blessed by their presence. They all had big, gorgeous smiles, they shared their love, and their hearts for Jesus. They rely on Him for everything. It is amazing to see this with your eyes, to feel it, to see the overflowing love from these women who work so hard, doing so much everyday and do it with a smile.

   I was humbled. I was joyful. I was in awe of these followers of Christ. I was touched by them and pray that I will always remember my time at Mama's house.

   

Under the African Blue Sky...

The SUN is SHINING here in Africa and I'm so excited about it!!! It has been a bit gloomy in the mornings and cold most of the days, but today was just BEAUTIFUL!!!
I also have felt more love today then ever from friends and family with birthday wishes!!! So, THANK YOU for sending your love, i feel it even across the world...I feel so blessed beyond words, ive teared up many times today:)
For my 27th birthday, I did wake up to pancakes with sprinkles in them, fresh cut oranges, pineapple, and watermelon, and ofcourse, COFFEE!! it was a memorable breakfast in Africa with my new friends Hannah and Zac, full-time younglife staff couple here in Arusha. We all spent the nite at their house last nite after a great meal at Stigys and dancing. so FUN!!! I spent the rest of the day off lounging at their lovely home, playing Wii, which was awesome, and sitting in the sun talking to new friends...my roomies got me a bday cake, which made me smile so big!!
Tonite, we went to a yummy bday dinner and the woman who owned the restaurant brought me yellow roses, my friends got me Nutella, chocolate goodness in a jar, and i got happy birthday song to me by the kitchen staff from africa, i mean, it was such a sweet moment!!!

Now, an update about Cradle of Love...Just to let you all know, the babies here are healthy and fine...i absolutely adore them...each of them are so unique with their personalities that just shine through...the only thing is that almost all of them have ring worm and we are hoping this new cream we got will help that...they are too young to take oral medication, so we have to go with cream twice a day.
we work a morning shift from 9-1:30pm, afternoon from 3-5pm and nite from 5-7pm...we usually get to pick 2 shifts a day but sometimes more if not alot of volunteers are here.
the babies LOVE to do the hokey pookey we have found out and they dance all around in their pajamas, which is amazing to watch...they love to give kisses, "Buse" in Swahili, all the time. it makes your day.
i did spill passion fruit juice all over a baby while trying to help her get the holes in her sippy cup to open, that was hilarious!! i did feel bad, but it was just so funny. Her name is Agatha and she has some lungs to scream, one of the loudest babies ever here...but, she hung with me and i helped her drink the rest of her juice and then changed her...poor thing, we both had juice all over us...
A funny thing happened in the grocery store the other day, Shoprite, with my roomies...we were shopping at nite for our food and the power in the grocery store went out, ofcourse, i freak out and shove my purse under my t-shirt...REALLY HALLIE??? i am so ridiculous, but for some reason i felt it wouldve been safer there...anyway, the lights go back on and my friends are dying laughing at me. it was pretty funny!!!
ive had some funny encounters here in Africa and im still getting used to the culture with all its differences. I continue to fall more in love with the babies and nannys here at COL!!
Im thrilled about church at Vineyard tom. morning and Praise God for such a lovely place as Africa and a memorable birthday...love yall, hal

Time is flying by...

I cant believe i havent written in over a week!!! I thought i would have so much time to come up here to use the internet at this Danish School, but i havent!! its been busy busy busy and i am shocked that it is August 11th and i will be hitting my mid to later twenties in 5 days, oh goodness...my first birthday in Africa!!!!!

well, i have had some wonderful moments with the babies this week...they LOVE to hear my ipod on the speakers that my roomie gave for me to use, thanks bec! ive caught some of them dancing too, which brings a big grin to my face. One of the boys, Joshua, has completely stolen my heart...he ran full speed into me when he saw me from afar today outside yelling "Halllllllieeeee"...my heart was so happy!!!

i also have had my first experience riding the Daladala...which is the public transportation here in Arusha. It is a small mini van with a sliding door and they are everywhere!!! all over the streets and people get packed in there along with goats!!!!!!!! they also drive WAY too fast and there is a man who is in charge of the sliding door and getting people in and out quickly...we will have to be riding it more now because taxi's are getting a bit expensive...i do hope to sit by a goat soon!!

i had a blessing of encouragement from the church service we attended on sunday. It was called Vineyard. It was held in an open air, huge bungaloo type house with lights hanging down from the roof. it was just GORGEOUS!! i cant imagine how it looks at night!

they were serving tea, coffee, beef biscuits, and puffy balls of dough that were fried...it was so delicious, i cant lie!!

the service was so simple with a guitar, bongos, and one singer...we sang "Jesus, be my Center" and "Shout to the North and the South"...dont know if those are the names or not, but i loved singing songs i knew. The minister talked about the persecution of Christians all over the world and read emails from his friends that were experiencing such torture and violence for sharing the gospel. how we should pray continously for those whose lives are in danger for the name of Jesus Christ.

He also talked about how we dont believe God is a god of miracles anymore, that He has changed. that He is not still the God who parted the red sea and raised people from the dead and gave sight to the blind, but WE HAVE CHANGED HIM. GOD IS STILL THE SAME.

He is still the God of miracles. He was talking about how his wife the other day had hurt her foot and arm and they were swollen and both very hot. She told him to come over there and pray for her to be healed, to have faith. He laid hands on her and prayed and the swelling went down and the pain was gone instantly. i know, its hard to believe things like this are from God, its hard not to be skeptical of such stories, but i asked myself, What God do i believe in? Can i really limit God to what He can and can not do? woe is me...

Here in Africa, God has streched my faith, mind, and heart in ways that are sometimes too hard to desribe...i am so thankful!

this week i will go to the poorest part of Arusha on wednesday to play with orphans, friday night go to hear a band at a place called Stigy's and then celebrate my 27th birthday on satruday out to dinner with the roomies...lots of excitement!

i miss yall so much and thank you for ALL the encouraging emails and love that you have sent, i do feel soaked in prayer these days, Hallie

a sweet Sunday in Africa...

I'm SO happy i have access to a computer just a few minutes up the road at this resort place...its so great!!
I started the day off with some folgers instant coffee and bran cereal from the market we went to yesterday...it was an adventure trying to buy groceries to say the least...we walked around like we had no clue what we needed or what to buy, pretty hilarious...the people here call us "mazungoes", which means "white people"...im sure we looked much like Muzungoes yesterday grocery shopping...
today i changed my first poopy diaper and to say the least it was an experience! the babies here wear towels for diapers with a plastic covering on them...you have to wash out the towel and put on a clean, dry one and safety pin it back...my sweet Nema, who i was changing, was so patient with me as i pinned her diaper on! lets hope i dont prick any baby while im here, that would be a disaster!
the other day, a bunch of the babies got together on all fours and started to bark like dogs and crawl in a group for a getaway out in the hall, i was laughing so hard that i couldnt breath. it was a moment to remember thats for sure!
the nanny's here, the women who work full time at the orphanage, are amazing women! I have loved chatting with them and seeing them smile at me, they seem so thankful to have helping hands. They serve these babies and love on them so much!! it is heart-warming to watch them.
i had a precious conversation with one of them, Hadija, about God and healing. She asked "do you pray that God heals paralyzed people?" and "do you pray that God heals people with HIV?" i said to her, "we always pray to God for healing because He is the ultimate healer and we must continue to pray even if He chooses not to heal"...the words came out and i thought to myself, "Hallie, do you believe in a God who heals? A God of miracles? A God who has the whole world in His hands?" i am slowly but surely believing that God is here all the time in Africa blessing and healing these beautiful people who have already opened my heart to feel the touch of God everytime they look at me or hold my hand...
i feel so blessed to be here and be apart of cradle of love as a volunteer, it has already been one of the richest expereiences of my life and i kind of want to adopt all 38 babies, im sure that would be just fine with my parents:)
I will write again soon, must go to feed the babes their dinner and get more hugs...love yall hal

Im not in Georgia anymore...

HI!! im so sorry it has taken me so long to put up a post...im here!! i arrived sick as a dawg but im here in africa. i lost my luggage the first day but got it back a few days later, PRAISE GOD!! i can not tell you how many small details God has worked out for me here.
i arrived at cradle of love yesterday, scarred to death...on the verge of tears every second but when i went down to meet the 38 babies of this new home of mine, my heart fell in love immediately!! i am SO THANKFUL to be here, to be loved by these babies is such a blessing and the way they run full speed into your arms breaks your heart that you could be loved so much without any questions asked!! i can NOT thank you enough for those who have supported me to come here and learn and love and serve but also to be served and loved...THANK YOU for your prayers and giving, i will be in tough with another post soon, i must go to the market now...MUCH LOVE AND THANKS, HALLIE