Faith. Eff, Ay, Eye, Tee, Aych. Faith.

Today I started off the morning in the clinic again. After a few labs and some interrogation on if I was insane for moving to Zambia, I was told that the infection has not cleared and they precribed a stronger drug and then two others to combat the side effects of the first. Lovely.

After that joyful start to the day, I went to Kabanana. I pulled in to pick up my first two "students" of the day, Protasho (who's 15) and Patrick (who's 10). As I pulled up, they were smiling and waving- and they got in the car so happy and excited! They barely speak a lick of English but they WANT to learn, so I think they will be my most succesful students. We got to Fanny's, (we are using Fanny and Maureen's houses as school rooms until we can find a ministry house) and set to work. They insisted that they could read, but couldn't. Then I asked them if they knew their alphabet. They said they did so I asked them to write it. They both wrote "A... B... C" and then the tounges came out and the scratching of the head started. Patrick also wrote "F" after C, but that was the extent of their alphabet knowledge. We spent the rest of the morning learning letters and letter sounds, but they were eating it up and i could hear Protasho under his breath... "apple... ahhhppppuuuhhhllll... apple" Love it.

At lunch time I dropped them at home and then went to a safe place along the side of the road to eat my lunch and prepare for the afternoon lessons. I then went and picked up Harrington, Evelyn, Faith and Christopher from school. The school they attend is allowing me to take them once a week for extra tutoring. While I was there the headmaster called me into his office and asked me if our ministry could donate computers for the school because the kids need them etc. I was like, brother no can do from our specific ministry but I'll get the word out there (they really are good people and a good school) So- consider the word "out there".

I brought the kids to Maureens and we went over letter sounds and body parts and told them to bring their assignments and homework next week. So far, so good.

My weekly schedule looks like this:

Monday

• 7:15... Breakfast/devotional with the Williamsons (and Heather, for now!)
• 9:00-12:30... Drive to Chipata Village pick up Protasho and Patrick, drive to Kabanana, tutor them, then drive them home.
• 12:30.. lunch in the car
• 1:30-4:00... Pick up Evelyn, Harrington, Faith and Christopher from school, drive them to Maureens, tutor them then drop them off at home on my way home.

Tuesday

• 7:15... Breakfast/devotional with the Williamsons
• 8:30-11:30... Drive to Kabanana to tutor Malama and Morgan
• 11:30... Tie up any loose ends with Fanny and Maureen, visit anyone who needs visiting, take anyone to the clinic who needs it (obviously timing on this varies from week to week.
• ??-5:00... Return emails, update orphan profiles
• 6:00... Bible study

Wednesday

• 7:15... Breakfast/devotional with the Williamsons
• 9:00-12:30... Drive to Chipata Village pick up Protasho and Patrick, drive to Kabanana, tutor them, then drive them home.
• 12:30.. lunch in the car
• 1:30-4:00... Pick up Tisa and Kaumba from school, drive them to Fanny's tutor them then drop them at home on my way home.

Thursday

• 7:15... Breakfast/devotional with the Williamsons
• 8:30-11:30... Drive to Kabanana to tutor Malama and Morgan
• 11:30... Tie up any loose ends with Fanny and Maureen, visit anyone who needs visiting, take anyone to the clinic who needs it (obviously timing on this varies from week to week.
• ??-5:00... Write weekly eports to orphan sponsors, financial reports/filing (as well as house cleaning and laundry!)

Friday

• 7:15... Breakfast/devotional with the Williamsons
• 9:00-12:30... Drive to Chipata Village pick up Protasho and Patrick, drive to Kabanana, tutor them, then drive them home.
• 12:30.. lunch in the car
• 1:30-4:00... Pick up Christian, Felix and Barbara from school, drive them to Fanny's tutor them then drop them at home on my way home.

Saturday

(Once a month there will be Saturday meetings from 10-12 with the kids for Bible study and health/HIV education)

• In the morning I try to do something with friends
• 2:30... Young People's meeting at church

So, my schedule is somewhat consistent just the kids change. They rande from grade 1- grade 11. I haven't even put Nelia, Philip, Geofrey, or Joseph on the plan yet. Sigh. Please understand if I don't email you back for a few days, I am not ignoring you! This week and last I've had the added pressure of not feeling well, clinic visits, immigration visits (I go back Thursday, hopefully, to pick my visa up!) as well as clinic visits for two of the kids here in Kabanana and planning for the trip to Ndola next month. As anyone who's been there can vouch- just two hours in Kabanana can feel like an entire day, so I am ready to drop when I get home.

I am grateful to have work to do- it seems daunting and overwhelming now just getting into it, but it keeps me focused and on my toes. Just pray that I'll remain healthy enoguh to keep up the pace because if I slip up a day or two I get WAY behind. Luckily, I have great freinds here who have been calling and/or stopping by every day to check on me which is a great encouragement!!