JOY (and precious moments that my heart will forever treasure) by:Emily

I feel like so many of my blogs have been about joy...and you all probably don't want to hear it again...BUT, I'm learning more about it than ever before! I never really understood what joy was until I came here...these people have JOY!!! Joy is so not about circumstances or about what we have. Joy doesn't depend on anything but Jesus Christ. I'm not perfect at this whole joy thing yet, but I'm realizing that these mamas aren't always joyful because of circumstances in their lives or what they own...they are joyful soley because they know Jesus. I'm so in awe of this joy... and I'm praying for the real-deal JOY every day!

A couple of things I want to share:

1) Music!!!
I'm really loving how God is using music for me to just show these children love! We got a chance yesterday to get the guitar out again and we put on a little show for the kids. Alyssa and I took turns playing for them...it was so precious. This might sound dumb...but I thought I might cry because it really touched my heart to see how much they enjoyed the music. They sang when they knew the songs, and if they didn't know the songs, they would just pretend or clap their hands. At the very end I told them I had a special treat for them. I played a song for them with all of their names in it and something special about each child. They absolutely loved it...even though I didn't always know what to say (I didn't write this song ahead of time, I made it up on the spot). They really enjoyed it and I could tell each child felt so special! Even the mamas were loving it...I've never seen them laugh so hard! I sang a part for each of them too!

Earlier that day, Alyssa and I had some manduzi (NO IDEA how to spell that...it's kind of like a plain doughnut here) and we shared with the kids in preschool. They all love their sweeties! It was really cute seeing them so excited about the manduzi..and they were just all sitting and eating it when I burst into song about manduzi. It was just a silly song about how "I love manduzi, it is so yummy, I love manduzi, oh yummy yummy" and then "yummy yummy...in my tummy...yummy yummy OH OH manduzi!" It may seem crazy to you...but the kids got into it and LOVED it. They were dancing around and seeing along! Alyssa recorded me singing it with the kids after and I had a "microphone" (a small toy I found) and I got each of the kids to take a turn to sing into it!!! I know you all probably think I'm nuts...but I love to sing and I am all about making music...and the kids don't mind my corniness one bit!!!

We also taught the kids a couple of songs. One of the songs the kids absolutely ADORE. We read the kids a Bible story about the man named Zacheus and then taught them the song and the actions to go along with it. Now when I'm with the kids some of them just burst into song and they love the part when you yell... "ZACHEUS COME DOWN FROM THERE...cause I'm going to your house today..cause I'm going to your house today!"

I am just loving the music here...it seems like there's a song for everything! If they're sad, happy, or just being super cute...there's a song for them!

2) Bedtime
One of the most precious moments I've experienced this far was getting to put the kids to bed. I've only got to do this once because the mamas usually do it, but last night there wasn't enough mamas so we all helped out. It was really chaotic as they were all getting bathed, changed into pajamas, and then getting their teeth brushed...but the actually bedtime melted my heart. I went over and gave them a little kiss on their cheeks and one little boy said in the sweetest voice, "Auntie, can you pray for me?" Okay...those words MELTED my heart. It was at that moment when I was thinking...I just never want to ever leave Africa! These kids are too precious!!! I got to pray with a couple of other children and tell a little bedtime story. Kisses were blown and hugs were given...it was such a loving moment and one of my favourite parts of the trip so far!

Much Love,
Em